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PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 


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PRESENTED  BY 

Mrs.   V/inthrop  w.   Aldrich 


BX    9060    .R4    1860 

Reid,  James  Seaton,  1798- 

1851. 
History  of  the  Presbyterian 

Church  in  Ireland 


VaA'A^  I  I  A'^'^' 


M.\  :.r>S 


^' 


^OfP«74^ 


H  I   S   T   0   H  Yjul  13 1951 


/j. 


^/GAL 


OF     THE 


PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH 


IN    IRELA.ND. 


CONDENSED    FROM    THE    STANDARD    WORK 


O  F 


"r  c 


REID    AND    KILLEN. 


BY 


REV.  SAMUEL  D.  ALEXANDER 


NEW  YORK: 
ROBERT  CARTER  &  BROTHERS, 

530     BROADWAY. 
18  6  0. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1S60,  by 

ROBERT  CARTER  &  BROTHERS, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District  of 

New  York. 


8T2BE0TTPED     BT  FEINTED     BT 

SMITH    Si    McDOUGAL,  E.     O.    JENKINS, 

84  Beekman-st,  N.  Y.  26  Frankfort-st. 


PREFACE. 


>♦• 


In  the  year  1841  Ireland  contained  above  eight 
million  inhabitants,  the  highest  point  it  had  ever 
reached,  and  after  that  it  diminished,  but  has  per- 
haps again  attained  the  same  sum.  Of  this  pop- 
ulation about  four-fifths  are  Roman  Catholics  and 
one-fifth  Protestants.  'Of  the  latter  nearly  one- 
half  are  Presbyterians,  while  the  rest  are  divided 
among  the  Episcopalians,  (which  is  the  Estab- 
lished Church,)  and  the  smaller  bodies  of 
Dissenters.  The  Established  Church  although 
the  smallest  of  the  three  great  denominations, 
is  sustained  by  the  whole  people,  while  nine- 
tenths  belong  to  other  Churches  and  support 
them. 

This  is  an  unparalleled  anomaly,  as  everywhere 
else  the  religion  of  the  majority  is  the  established 
religion,  even  where  the  rulers  are  Dissenters,  as 
in  Saxony  and  Belgium.  Another  remarkable 
fact  is  the  distribution  of  confessions,  which  are 
not  spread  in  their  proportion  over  the  whole 
island,  but  each  has  its  stronghold  in  the  prov- 
inces. 


iv  PREFACE. 

There  are  in  Ireland  thirty-two  counties, 
grouped  in  four  provinces,  for  administrative 
purposes  :  Ulster,  in  the  north  ;  Leinster,  in 
the  east  ;  Munster,  in  the  south  ;  and  Con- 
naught,  in  the  west.  The  provinces  of  Mun- 
ster and  Connaught  are  almost  wholly  Popish ; 
Leinster  is  partly  Episcopal,  while  Ulster  is 
chiefly  Presbyterian.  And  although  Presbyte- 
rianism  is  now  more  generally  diffused,  yet  it 
is  still  the  strongest  there,  and  was  once  al- 
most confined  to  that  province  ;  so  that  the 
history  of  the  Irish  Presbyterian  Church  is  the 
same  as  the  history  of  the  Ulster  Presbyterian 
Church. 

This  province  comprises  the  nine  counties  of 
Antrim,  Armagh,  Cavan,  Donegal,  Down,  Fer- 
managh, Londonderry,  Monaghan,  and  Tyrone. 
The  two  most  populous,  (Down  and  Antrim,) 
with  another  less  so,  (Londonderry,)  are  in  the 
east  and  northeast  of  the  province,  nearest  to 
Scotland,  and  thus  became  the  first  Presbyte- 
rian settlements  in  the  island,  through  emigra- 
tion from  that  kingdom. 

This  brief  statement  is  made  in  lieu  of  a  more 
extended  one  which  my  brother,  the  late  J.  Ad- 
dison Alexander,  D.  D.,  had  purposed  to  prepare 
on  the  very  day  of  his  death,  and  at  whose  in- 
stance this  condensed  history  was  undertaken. 

The  object  of  the  publication  is  not  to  super- 


PRE  FACE.  V 

sede  the  original  and  standard  work,  but  simply 
to  give  the  main  thread  of  the  history,  so  as  to 
bring  it  within  the  reach  of  those  to  whom  the 
more  expensive  original  is  not  accessible,  and 
thus  contribute  to  preserve  the  memory  of  our 
first  mother  in  the  hearts  not  only  of  her  Irish 
children,  but  of  her  American  descendants,  who 
are  now  three  times  more  numerous  than  the 
whole  Presbyterian  population  of  Ireland. 

It  has  been  no  easy  task  to  condense  fifteen 
hundred  closely  printed  octavo  pages  into  this 
small  volume  ;  and  if  the  vivacity  and  interest 
of  the  original  work  has  in  any  degree  been 
sacrificed,  it  is  only  that  the  essential  facts 
may  be  offered  to  those  who  w^ould  otherwise 
remain  ignorant  of  the  history  of  their  mother 
Church. 

I  have  been  greatly  aided  in  this  task  by  a 
brief  but  able  compilation  of  Reid  and  Killen, 
by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Witherow,  of  Maghera,  and 
by  a  still  larger  one  prepared  by  my  brother, 
while  lecturing  upon  the  subject  to  his  classes 
in  Princeton. 

It  is  proper  to  state  here  that  before  commenc- 
ing this  work  Dr.  KiUen  was  consulted  as  to  his 
intention  of  preparing  an  abridgement.  In  a 
letter  he  states,  that  while  he  had  in  his  posses- 
sion much  new  matter  which  might  be  incorpo- 
rated in  a  new  edition,  yet  from  the  pressure  of 


VI  PREFACE. 

professional  duties,  and  other  works  upon  which 
he  is  engaged,  it  will  be  impossible  for  him  to  un- 
dertake the  labor  and  that  it  is  doubtful  whether 
a  new  edition  of  the  original  work  in  its  present 
form  will  ever  appear. 

S.  D.  Alexander. 

New  York,  Feb.,  1860. 


INTRODUCTION. 

Notwithstanding  the  uncertainty  which  overhangs 
the  introduction  of  the  Gospel  into  IreLand,  the  down- 
fall of  Druidism,  the  mission  of  St.  Patrick,  and  the 
doctrine  which  he  taught,  it  is  now  commonly  agreed 
that  the  primitive  Church  of  Ireland,  though  not  free 
from  error,  differed  long  and  materially  from  that  of 
Rome,  especially  in  refereucs  to  the  reading  of  the 
Scriptures,  the  doctrine  of  grace,  the  mode  of  worship, 
the  marriage  of  the  clergy,  and  the  organization  of  the 
Church  itself. 

This  was  the  last  of  the  national  churches  in  the 
west  of  Europe  which  preserved  its  independence  and 
resisted  all  encroachments  of  the  papal  see,  until  the 
middle  of  the  twelfth  century,  when  Adrian  lY.  con- 
ferred the  kingdom  upon  Henry  II.  of  England,  on 
condition  that  he  would  enforce  subjection  and  con- 
formity to  Rome,  which  was  done  within  a  century. 

The  evils  which  accomjDanied  this  change  wherever 
it  took  place  were  aggravated  here  by  the  political 
condition  of  the  country,  its  remoteness  from  the  seat 
of  government  in  England,  and  its  easy  intercourse 
with  Rome  through  France  and  Spain,  which  ulti- 
mately gave  th.e  Pope  tlie  power  of  filling  all  impor- 
tant offices,  not  only  in  the  Church  but  also  in  the 
State. 

The  subservience  of  the  clergy  to  the  Pope  being 
unchecked,  as  in  other  countries,  by  the  influence  of 


2  LOW   STATE   OF   LEAENING.  [Intro. 

the  crowD,  was  pushed  to  an  extreme,  occasioning  con- 
tinual conflicts  between  the  higher  and  lower  clergj^, 
between  foreigners  and  natives,  between  civil  and  ec- 
clesiastical tribunals,  between  priests  and  people. 

Though  the  country  was  impoverished  by  constant 
depredations,  the  exactions  of  the  clergy  were  unspar- 
ing and  enforced  by  every  form  of  fraud  and  violence, 
in  the  shape  of  tithes,  pecuniary  penances,  indulgences, 
and  fees  for  all  ofiicial  acts,  of  which  receipts  a  small 
part  only  was  assigned  to  the  support  of  schools  and 
the  encouragement  of  learning.  The  learning  for  which 
Ireland  had  once  been  famous  was  no  more  ;  the  lower 
clergy  received  scanty  instruction  at  cathedral  schools ; 
the  higher,  at  Oxford,  and  especially  at  Paris ;  while 
the  inmates  of  the  monasteries  spent  their  time  in 
sloth  or  in  laborious  trifles. 

The  morals  of  the  clergy,  universally  corrupt  before 
the  Reformation,  were  nowhere  more  so  than  in  Ire- 
land, where  the  monks  and  parish  priests  vied  with 
each  other  both  in  profligacy  and  in  influence  over  the 
degraded  people.  There  are  said  to  have  been  six  hun- 
dred monasteries  in  the  island,  belonging  to  eighteen 
monastic  orders,  and  equal  in  the  number  of  their 
inmates  to  the  rest  of  the  inhabitants.  Among  the 
current  superstitions  were  the  worship  of  relics  and  re- 
ligious pilgrimages,  more  especially  to  Patrick's  Pur- 
gatory, on  an  island  in  Lough  Derg  in  the  county  of 
Donegal,  which,  although  suppressed  by  Pope  Alex- 
ander YI.  in  1497,  is  still  frequented  to  the  present 
day. 

The  laity  were  ignorant,  uncivilized,  and  grossly 
superstitious.  At  the  close  of  the  reign  of  Henry  YIII. 
most  of  the  Irish  lords  were  unable  to  sign  their  names. 


13-1536.]  CORRUPTION    OF  THE   CHURCH.  3 

They  were  either  slaves  or  tyrants  of  the  priesthood. 
In  the  fifteenth  centurj^  an  Irish  chief  destroyed  forty 
churches  in  Ulster,  and  was  himself  killed  in  one 
where  he  had  taken  refuge.  An  Earl  of  Kildare, 
near  the  end  of  the  next  century,  burnt  down  the  ca- 
thedral of  Cash  el,  which  he  afterward  said  he  would 
not  have  done  but  that  he  thought  the  archbishop  was 
in  it.  The  Church  did  nothing  to  instruct  the  people. 
Preaching  was  either  quite  neglected  or  consisted  of 
mere  legendary  fables.  The  Irish  language  was  pro- 
scribed and  never  printed  until  after  the  Eeformation. 

This  began  later  than  in  England  and  Scotland, 
from  the  turbulent  state  of  the  island,  its  insulation 
from  the  rest  of  Europe,  its  want  of  schools  and  books, 
the  devotion  of  the  people  to  the  old  religion,  the  ab- 
sorption of  the  English  settlers  in  extending  their 
conquests,  the  absence  of  political  and  popular  com- 
plaints against  the  papal  see,  the  want  of  an  educated 
gentry  and  of  satirists  to  expose  its  abuses.  No  legis- 
lative notice  was  takea  of  the  reformed  doctrines  till 
the  reign  of  Mary,  in  1556,  when  three  English  stat- 
utes against  heresy  were  re-enacted  and  enforced  in 
Ireland. 

In  the  meantime  the  country  was  surprised  when 
Henry  YIII.,  in  1535,  sent  George  Brown,  Provincial 
of  the  Augustinians  in  England,  to  be  Archbishop  of 
Dublin,  and  to  enforce  the  king's  supremacy  in  Ire- 
land. This  demand  was  opposed  by  Cromer,  Arch- 
bishop of  Armagh,  and  his  suffragans,  on  the  ground 
that  the  king  derived  his  right  to  govern  Ireland  from 
the  Pope.  Afxer  a  year  of  cautious  inactivity,  a  Par- 
liament was  called  by  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  Leonard 
Grey,  in  May,  1536,  ami.  on  Brown's  motion,  passed 


4  ARCHBISHOP   BROWN.  [iNTRa 

the  acts  required,  abjuring  all  dependence  on  the  see 
of  Kome,  forbidding  all  appeals  to  it,  dissolving  mon- 
asteries and  transferring  their  revenues  to  the  crown, 
acknowledging  the  king  as  head  of  the  Church,  and 
attaching  severe  penalties  to  nil  abuse  of  him,  as  being 
an  usurper,  tyrant,  schismatic,  or  heretic. 

But  though  pubhc  opposition  was  thus  silenced,  the 
adherents  of  the  Pope  became  more  zealous,  and  the 
worst  corruptions  remained  unreformed.  Brown  ap- 
pears to  have  attemped  nothing  more  than  the  asser- 
tion of  the  king's  supremacy  for  two  years,  when 
Cromwell,  Henry  YIII.'s  favorite  minister,  required 
him  to  purge  the  churches  of  his  province  from  idol- 
atry. But  even  this  order  was  successfully  evaded, 
and  Brown  wrote  to  Cromwell  for  new  powers,  repre- 
senting both  the  clergy  and  laity  as  either  grossly  ig- 
norant or  bkoted  adherents  of  the  Eoman  see.  Thus 
it  happened  that,  when  Henry  YIII.  died,  the  Eefor- 
mation  had  only  been  introduced  by  the  authorities, 
without  the  least  participation  of  the  people  or  the 
lower  clergy,  as  in  England  and  Scotland.  Even  un- 
der the  reforming  reign  of  Edward  YL,  only  one  re- 
forming measure  was  adopted,  to  wit,  the  introduction 
of  an  English  liturgy,  commanded  by  the  king,  sub- 
mitted by  his  Deputy,  Sir  Anthony  Saintleger,  to  a 
council  of  bishops  and  clergy,  and  rejected  by  Dowdal, 
the  successor  of  Cromer  in  the  see  of  Armagh,  on  the 
ground  that  every  illiterate  fellow  could  say  mass,  to 
which  the  Deputy  replied  that  there  were  many  priests 
who  could  not  pronounce  the  Latin  nor  know  what  ifc 
meant.  After  Dowdal  and  his  suffragans  withdrew, 
the  book  was  offered  by  Saintleger  to  Brown,    who 


1552.]        IRISH  REFORMERS  ACCUSED  OF  VIOLENCE.  6 

submitted  to  the  king's  command  "  as  Jesus  did  to 
Caesar,"  and  was  followed  by  four  other  bishops. 

The  liturgy  was  used  for  the  first  time  in  Christ 
Church,  Dublin,  on  Easter  Day,  1551,  and  is  said  to 
have  been  the  first  book  printed  in  Ireland.     This 
measure  produced  little  change,  being  very  imperfectly 
enforced.      Sir  Anthony    Saintleger,  who    seems    to 
have  been  at  heart  a  papist,  was  succeeded  by  Sir 
James  Croft,  who  sought  in  vain  to  conciliate  the  re- 
fractory primate,  or  to  convince  him  by  a  conference 
with  Staples,  Bishop  of  Meath.     At  last  the  primacy 
was  transferred  from  Armagh  to  Dublin,  and  Dowdal 
left  the  country.     But  the  Eeformation  still  moved 
slowly ;  the  preparation  of  an  Irish  liturgy  was  still 
delayed  ;  and  such  was  the  neglect  of  preaching,  that 
in  Dublin,  during  the  year  1552,  there  was  none  at  all. 
This  tardy  progress  of  the  truth  has  been  erroneously 
ascribed  to  excessive  violence  in  its  propagation  ;  but 
the  only  outrage  upon  record  was  of  military  not  re- 
ligious origin,  and  the  fault  of  the  Eeformers  was  de- 
ficiency and  not  excess  of  zeal,  a  fault  apparently  aris- 
ing from  the  absence  of  all  deep  convictions  as  to  truth 
and  error  in  the  mind  of  Brown  and  his  associates. 
Some  new  life  was  infused  into  the  work  when  Cran- 
mer,  after  ineffectual  attempts  in  other  quarters,  in- 
duced John  Bale   to  become  Bishop  of  Ossory  and 
Hugh  Goodacre   Archbishop  of  Armagh.     Both  at- 
tacked popery  with  boldness ;  but  Goodacre  died  in 
three  months,  it  is  said,  by  poison,  and  Bale,  though 
much  beloved,  was  driven  out  on  the  death  of  King 
Edward,  and  escaped  to  the  continent ;  and  although 
he  returned  to  England  at  Elizabeth's  accession,  he 


6  ACCESSION  OF  MARY.  [Intro. 

declined    all  preferment,   being  now  in  principles  a 
Nonconformist. 

The  accession  of  Mary  undid  all  that  had  been  done, 
restoring  Dowdal  and  the  mass,  deposing  Brown  and 
four  other  bishops  who  had  married,  while  eight  re- 
canted and  retained  their  sees.  There  was  a  jubilee  in 
honor  of  this  triumph,  and  as  no  opposition  was  at- 
tempted, there  was  little  persecution,  so  that  refugees 
from  England  actually  sought  an  asylum  in  Ireland, 
and  there  sowed  the  seeds  of  reformation  more  effec- 
tually than  it  had  been  done  during  the  previous  Prot- 
estant ascendancy.  This  was  restored  upon  the  death 
of  Mary,  but  with  less  effect  than  in  England,  from 
the  repetition  of  the  former  error  in  attempting  to  re- 
form religion  by  a  forced  external  conformity,  without 
any  adequate  instruction  in  the  truth.  \ 

For  six  months  after  the  accession  of  Elizabeth 
every  thing  remained  in  statu  quo  ;  but  in  May,  1559, 
the  dean  of  Christ  Church,  Dublin,  received  orders  to 
put  texts  of  Scripture  in  the  place  of  pictures,  images, 
and  relics.  In  the  other  cathedral,  St.  Patrick's, 
ima2:es  remained  in  1604  ;  and  from  one  of  the  Irish 
canons  it  would  seem  that  papal  ornaments  were  still 
found  in  the  churches  thirty  years  later.  A  more  effec- 
tual movement  was  occasioned  by  the  gift  of  two  large 
English  Bibles  to  the  two  cathedrals  by  Archbishop 
Heath  of  York,  to  be  kept  there  for  the  public  use  ;  a 
privilege  of  which  the  people  eagerly  availed  them- 
selves, both  as  hearers  and  readers,  in  consequence  of 
which  there  was  a  great  demand  for  Bibles,  so  that  a 
few  years  later,  in  1616,  when  an  edition  of  small  size 
was  first  imported,  a  single  bookseller  sold  seven  thou- 
sand copies  in  less  than  two  years. 


1560-69.]      ECCLESIASTICAL  JURISDICTION  RESTORED.      7 
In  the  meantime  a  Parliament  was  held  in  Dublin, 


early  in  1560,  which  again  abolished  popery  and  le- 
2:alized  the  Eeformation,  with  some  resistance  from  the 
nobles,  but  with  shameless  tergiversation  on  the  part 
of  the  clergy,  only  two  out  of  nineteen  bishops  adher- 
ing to  the  old  faith.  By  this  Parliament  the  ecclesias- 
tical jurisdiction  was  restored  to  the  crown,  a  new  oath 
of  supremacy  appointed,  the  use  of  the  common  prayer 
enforced,  and  all  required  to  attend  the  service  of  the 
Church,  which,  b\^  an  absurd  violation  of  the  Kefor- 
mation  principle,  was  directed  to  be  read  where  the 
minister  or  people  did  not  understand  English,  not  in 
the  Irish  language,  known  to  both  parties,  but  in  the 
Latin,  unknown  to  either..  The  only  ground  assigned 
for  this  measure,  which  affected  the  whole  country 
outside  of  the  chief  towns,  w^as  the  want  of  printed 
books  in  Irish  and  of  ministers  acquainted  with  the 
language  ;  both  of  which  deficiencies  might  have  been 
and  should  have  been  supplied  by  the  authorities 

At  a  general  meeting  of  the  clergy,  called  by  the 
Earl  of  Sussex  at  the  Queen's  command,  the  Bishop  of 
Meath  (Walsh)  refused  to  adopt  the  })rayer  book,  and 
the  Bishop  of  Kildare  (Levrous)  declined  subjection  to 
a  woman,  on  the  ground  that  Christ  had  given  no  such 
power  even  to  his  mother,  and  that  Paul  forbids  a 
woman  to  speak  in  the  church,  much  less  to  rule  there. 
Both  these  bishops  were  deposed,  and  one  of  them, . 
Walsh,  imprisoned  many  years,  wliile  the  other  became 
a  schoolmaster.  This  example,  however,  was  followed 
by  many  of  the  clergy,  some  going  abroad  and  others 
into  remote  districts,  where  thev  were  left  unmolested. 
The  vacancies  thus  made  were  very  slowly  filled,  the 
bishopric  of  Clogher  being  occupied  only  one  year  in 


8  HINDRANCES   TO   THE   REFORMATION.        [Intro. 

more  than  half  a  century  (1557-1610),  tlie  primacy  it- 
self remaining  unfilled  four  years,  the  remoter  dioceses 
being  still  at  the  disposal  of  the  Pope,  nnd  divine  ser- 
vice so  extensively  neglected  that  many  of  the  churches 
fell  into  decay,  and  thus  became  unfit  for  use. 

Another  hindrance  to  the  Eeformation  was  the  vio- 
lent exaction  of  conformity  by  fine  and  even  militar}' 
force,  and  the  rigorous  treatment  of  all  popish  priests 
and  friars,  as  both  recusants  and  rebels,  without  any 
effort  either  to  enlighten  or  conciliate  the  people.  This 
neglect  of  the  religious  interests  of  Ireland  by  an  en- 
ergetic and  sagacious  government,  combined  with  the 
old  antipathy  of  races  and  the  powerfid  influence  of 
Rome  and  Spain,  to  confine  the  work  of  reformation 
almost  whollv  to  the  cities  and  chief  towns,  while  the 
rural  population  remained  grossly  ignorant  and  sujoer- 
stitions. 

In  1569  a  second  Parliament,  under  Sir  Henry  Syd- 
ney, passed  two  beneficial  acts,  one  conferring  on  the 
Lord  Lieutenant  the  right  of  presentation  to  all  cathe- 
dral dignities  in  Munster  and  Connaught,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  four  dioceses  (Waterford,  Cork,  Limerick, 
and  Cashel),  on  the  ground  that  they  had  long  been" 
filled  by  the  ignorant  and  illiterate  ofispring  of  the 
previous  incumbent ;  the  other  ordering  schools,  with 
English  teacbers,  to  be  erected  in  the  chief  towns  of 
every  diocese  ;  a  third  act,  "  for  the  reparation  of  pa- 
rochial churches,"  although  sent  from  England  to  the 
Irish  Parliament,  was  never  passed  into  a  law. 

The  neglect  of  the  government  was  partially  made 
good  by  private  enterprise.  Two  dignitaries  of  St. 
Patrick's  cathedral,  Nicholas  Walsh  and  John  Kear- 
ney, were  the  means  of  introducing  the  first  font  of 


1576-96.]  IRISH   TYPES  INTEODUCED.  9 

Irish  type  and  printing  the  liturgy  in  that  tongue,  as 
well  as  procuring  the  appointment  of  a  church  in  every 
chief  town  for  an  Irish  service.  AlthouGfh  these 
measures  were  not  fully  carried  into  execution  till  the 
next  reign,  a  beginning  was  made  in  vernacular  preach- 
ing and  religious  books,  including  a  translation  of  the 
New  Testament,  begun  by  Walsh,  then  Bishop  of  Os- 
sory,  but  interrupted  by  his  murder  in  1585,  completed 
by  Archbishop  Daniel  of  Tuam,  and  finally  put  to 
press  in  1602. 

In  1576  Sir  Henry  Sydney  made  a  melancholy  rep- 
resentation to  Queen  Elizabeth  of  the  dilapidated  state 
of  the  churches  and  the  want  of  educated  ministers, 
proposing  that  they  should  be  brought  from  Scotland, 
or  that  some  of  the  well-beninced  English  clergy  should 
"undertake  this  apostleship,  and  that  at  their  own 
charges."  These  proposals  seem  to  have  received  no 
attention,  and  at  the  next  Irish  Parliament,  attended 
by  four  archbishops  and  twenty  bishops,  not  a  single 
act  was  passed  relating  to  religion.  But  another  plan, 
proposed  by  Sydney  in  1569  without  effect,  was  re- 
newed and  carried  into  execution  twenty  years  later. 
This  was  the  founding  of  a  university  at  Dublin 
(opened  in  1593)  with  a  special  view  to  the  education 
of  a  native  ministry,  as  a  necessary  means  to  the  study 
of  the  Irish  language,  for  which  purpose  scholarships, 
called  "  Native-3  Places,"  were  endowed  and  still  con- 
tinue, though  the  college  is  no  longer  on  the  same  lib- 
eral principles  as  at  first,  when  the  distinction  between 
churchmen  and  dissenters  was  as  yet  unknown,  no  at- 
tempt to  enforce  a  strict  conformity  and  outward  uni- 
formity having  been  made  until  the  reign  of  Charles  I. 
The  two  first. fellows  of  Trinity  College  were  Scotch 


10     IGNOEANCE  OF  THE   CLEKGY   AND   PEOPLE.    [Intro. 

Presbyterians,  resident  in  Ireland  as  secret  agents  of 
King  James,  commissioned  to  secure  bis  peaceable  suc- 
cession to  tbe  tbrone.  One  of  tliem  (Fullerton)  was 
knighted  and  made  treasurer  of  the  royal  household 
when  the  king  removed  to  London.  The  other  (Ham- 
ilton) was  afterwards  ennobled  as  Lord  Clanebo}^,  and 
possessed  of  large  estates  in  Ulster,  where,  for  a  time, 
lie  was  a  zealous  patron  of  the  Presbyterian  interest. 
The  two  first  Provosts  of  the  college  were  English 
Nonconformists,  Walter  Travers,  one  of  the  most  fa- 
mous of  the  Puritans,  and  Henry  Alvey,  less  renowned 
but  no  less  zealous,  both  of  whom  were  driven  by 
Archbishop  Whitgift's  persecutions  to  Ireland,  where 
they  successively  presided  over  the  new  college,  and 
the  latter  contributed  (with  Hamilton,  already  men- 
tioned) to  the  vast  learning  and  the  liberal  spirit  of 
Archbishop  Ussher. 

That  these  reformatory  measures,  partial  and  imper- 
fect as  they  were,  did  not  immediately  bear  much  fruit, 
may  be  gathered  from  the  poet  Spenser's  beautiful  but 
terrible  description  of  the  ignorance  and  sloth  of  the 
Eeformed  clergy,  as  compared  with  the  devotion  of 
the  Popish  priests,  now  sent  from  Eome,  from  Spain, 
from  Rheims,  to  counteract  the  Reformation.  His 
statement,  written  in  1596,  but  not  published  until 
1633,  that  not  one  in  a  hundred  of  the  people  could 
do  more  than  say  his  Paternoster  and  Avemaria  in 
Latin  without  knowing  what  it  meant — that  the  idle, 
covetous,  and  vicious  clergy  neither  preached  nor  ad. 
ministered  the  Lord's  Supper,  but  baptized  in  the  old 
Romish  form — would  be  incredible  if  Baxter  had  not 
told  us  that  in  England  itself,  and  half  a  century  later, 
some  of  the  people,  ia  going  to  bed,  would  sav  over 


1600.]  THE   TRUE   REMEDY.  11 

the  creed  and  Lord's  Prayer,  and  some  of  them  the 
Avemaria. 

That  the  true  remedy  for  these  evils  was  not  entirely 
unknown  in  England,  may  be  seen  from  a  letter  of  the 
great  Lord  Bacon  to  Secretary  Cecil,  Queen  Elizabeth's 
prime  minister,  in  1601,  wherein  he  urges,  beside  acts 
of  civil  reformation,  the  sending  over  of  good  preach- 
ers, not  scholastic,  but  vehement  and  zealous,  to  be 
resident  in  chief  towns  and  supported  by  the  crown ; 
the  support  and  improvement  of  the  college  in  Dub- 
lin ;  the  selection  of  good  bishops  ;  and  the  circulation 
of  Bibles,  catechisms,  and  other  good  books  in  the 
Irish  language.  But  these  and  other  necessary  meas- 
ures were  prevented  b}^  the  great  rebellion,  during 
which  the  Irish  were  not  even  civilized,  and  by  which 
the  attention  of  the  rulers  was  engrossed,  and  when, 
for  the  first  time  for  four  hundred  years,  the  English 
power  was  established  through  the  whole  island,  it  was 
at  the  verj^  close  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  long  reign,  who 
died  in  March,  1603. 

Even  this  brief  sketch  of  the  first  seventy  years  of 
the  Eeformation  in  Ireland  will  suflB.ce  to  show  that  it 
was  hindered,  partly  by  the  state  of  the  kingdom, 
parti}'  by  the  unwise  means  used  to  promote  it ;  that 
the  native  population  v.-as,  in  fact,  uncivilized  and  un- 
der the  sway  of  many  petty  despots,  united  only  b}^  a 
common  hatred  to  the  Saxon  power,  and  therefore 
prepossessed  against  the  Keformed  doctrine,  because  in- 
troduced from  England  and  by  English  laws,  which 
suppressed  or  discountenanced  the  native  aristocracy, 
thereby  transferring  its  authority  and  influence  to  the 
Romish  clerg}^ ;  that  this  twofold  power  of  the  priest- 
hood was  not  marked,  as  in  other  countries,  by  a  wise 


12   OBSTACLES  IN  THE  WAY  OF  KEFORMATION.    [Intro. 

and  pious  ministry  ;  that  measures  of  coercion  were 
employed  without  the  necessarj^  adjuncts  of  instruction 
and  conciliation  ;  that  the  only  agencies  employed  were 
English,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  native  converts  ;  that 
the  Irish  tongue  was  superseded  by  the  English,  and 
in  many  cases  even  by  the  Latin,  instead  of  being  used 
as  the  chief  channel  of  instruction,  as  in  Wales ;  that 
the  whole  work,  as  represented  by  Archbishop  Brown 
and  his  associates,  was  timid,  weak,  and  secular  in 
sjDirit,  aiming  only  to  secure  the  king's  supremacj?' ; 
that  during  the  reaction  under  Mary  no  defender  of 
the  faith  appeared  in  Ireland,  no  resistance  was  offered 
to  the  revolution,  and  very  few  conscientiously  refused 
to  conform  to  the  Eomish  worship  ;  that  no  adequate 
attempt  was  made  to  furnish  qualified  and  zealous 
preachers ;  that  even  the  superior  places  in  the  hier- 
archy were  partially  and  unsatisfactorily  filled ;  while 
in  the  south  and  west  the  succession  was  so  often  in- 
terrupted that  the  very  name  of  Protestant  bishops 
sunk  into  oblivion  ;  that  the  places  of  the  lower  clergy 
who  adhered  to  popery  were  either  badly  filled  or  not 
at  all ;  so  that  a  Chancellor  of  Ireland,  writing  to  an 
English  nobleman  in  the  reign  of  Edward  the  Sixth, 
could  say  expresslj",  "  Preaching  we  have  none,"  and, 
"  Hard  it  is  that  men  should  know  their  duties  to  God 
and  to  the  king,  when  they  shall  not  hear  teaching  or 
preaching  throughout  the  year."  Nothing  but  extra- 
ordinary zeal,  fidelity,  and  prudence— qualities  which 
the  Irish  reformers  seldom  displayed— could  have  en- 
sured the  prompt  success  of  the  Eeformed  faith  or  pre- 
pared the  country  to  derive  full  benefit  from  the  wiser 
measures  of  the  folio  win  o^  rei^'n. 


CHAPTER     I. 

1603-1625. 

The  accession  of  James  I.  was  undisputed,  both  in 
Britain  and  Ireland,  and  attended  with  advantages 
never  before  realized,  wliicli  he  seized  with  a  wisdom 
seldom  seen  in  his  administration.  Resolving  to  laj 
the  foundation  of  a  lasting  peace  by  conciliatory  meas- 
ures, he  proclaimed  a  general  pardon  to  all  who  had 
taken  part  in  the  rebellion,  restored  the  forfeited  es- 
tates of  those  who  had  not  been  attainted,  placed  the 
natives  on  a  level  with  the  English  settlers,  confirmed 
the  titles  and  lands  of  the  Irish  nobility,  and  intro- 
duced a  regular  administration  of  justice.  James  was 
no  less  anxious  to  promote  the  religious  than  the  civil 
reformation  of  the  country.  He  was  at  first  considered 
by  the  Roman  Catholic  party  as  favorable  to  their 
cause,  which  incited  them  to  open  acts  of  violence 
against  the  Protestant  ministers  and  their  places  of 
worship,*  but  by  the  prompt  action  of  the  Lord  Deputy 
these  insurrections  were  quelled.  The  priests  still 
continuing  to  inflame  the  people  against  the  govern- 
ment, a  proclamation  was  issued  commanding  them 
to  leave  the  kingdom  or  conform  to  the  law. 

James  would  probably  have  still  treated  the  papists 
with  indulgence  but  for  the  Gunpowder  Plot,  which 
led  to  great  severity,  and  as  its  consequence  to  a  con- 
spiracy of  Irish  lords,  who  sought  the  aid  of  France 
and  Spain  against  the  English  usurpation.     The  dis- 


14  STATE   OF    ULSTER.  [Ch.  I. 

covery  of  this  plot  and  another  like  it  caused  the  flight 
of  the  conspirators  (Tyrone,  Tyrconnell,  and  O'Dogh- 
erty)  and  the  confiscation  of  their  lands,  annexing 
half  a  million  of  acres  to  the  crown  in  Ulster.  These 
lands  the  king  wisely  resolved  to  plant  with  English 
and  Scottish  colonies,  with  the  combined  view  of  ren- 
dering the  lands  more  profitable,  establishing  the  peace 
and  prosperit}^  of  this  part  of  the  kingdom,  hitherto 
the  most  turbulent,  and  securing  the  more  general  and 
speedy  dissemination  of  the  reformed  faith. 

The  condition  of  that  province  was  deplorable,  a 
small  part  only  being  under  cultivation,  and  the  rest 
a  wilderness  of  bogs  and  forests ;  the  wretched  rem- 
nant of  its  population  who  had  survived  the  pestilence 
and  famine  were  abject  in  the  extreme,  a  large  part 
living  in  the  woods  by  plunder ;  with  the  exception 
of  a  few  fortified  cities,  all  its  towns  and  villages  lev- 
eled to  the  ground.  Cultivation  was  occasionally  vis- 
ible only  in  some  favored  spots ;  its  products  of  grain 
and  cattle,  in  which  alone  consisted  the  wealth  of  the 
country,  swept  away  by  the  v/ars,  and  the  few  propri- 
etors who  survived  were  reduced  to  such  poverty  as  to 
be  altogether  unable  to  resume  the  cultivation  of  the  soil. 

The  moral  and  religious  state  of  Ulster  was  scarcely 
less  deplorable.  The  reformed  religion  was  known 
only  in  the  large  towns.  Tlie  sees  of  Derry,  Kaphoe, 
and  Clogher  were  still  filled  by  popish  bishops,  and 
the  Anglican  clergy  were  of  doubtful  character ;  so 
that  the  very  province  which  was  afterward  to  be  the 
stronghold  of  the  Presbyterian  interest,  in  Ireland 
seemed  as  yet  to  be  the  safest  refuge  of  the  papists.  A 
Protestant  minister,  who  afterward  became  a  prelate 
in  Ulster,  and  who  can  not  be  suspected  of  any  incli- 


1603.]  ATTEMPTS  AT  COLONIZATION.  15 

nation  to  undervalue  the  cbaracter  of  his  brethren, 
thus  describes  the  condition  of  affairs :  "  In  many 
places  there  is  no  minister  at  all ;  in  many  places  a 
minister  as  good  as  none,  even  a  dumb  dog  that  can 
not  bark,  an  idol  (idle)  shepherd  who  is  not  apt  to 
teach  nor  able  to  confute ;  in  other  places,  a  lewd  and 
scandalous  minister,  whose  not  gospel-like  behavior  is 
a  stumbling-block  to  them  that  are  without." 

Previous  attempts  at  colonization  had  been  made  in 
Down  and  Antrim,  under  Queen  Elizabeth,  by  the  Earl 
of  Sussex  and  Sir  Thomas  Smith,  In  1572  a  large 
tract  was  forfeited  to  the  crown  in  the  county  of  Down 
on  account  of  the  rebellion  of  Shane  O'Neill,  and  was 
granted  to  Sir  Thomas  Smith  on  condition  of  plant- 
ing it  with  English  settlers  ;  but  this  attempt  was  only 
partially  executed  on  account  of  the  death  of  Smith's 
son,  to  whom  had  been  intrusted  its  settlement.  The 
attempt  in  Antrim  met  with  no  better  success,  for  the 
inhabitants  of  the  neighboring  Scottish  islands,  joining 
with  the  Irish,  made  a  formidable  opposition  to  the 
English  settlers.  Elizabeth,  therefore,  to  eject  these 
intruders,  sent  over  the  Earl  of  Essex  with  two  thou- 
sand men,  with  orders  to  "  expel  the  Scots  and  not 
hurt  the  Irish  ;"  but,  owing  to  the  lateness  of  the  sea- 
son and  several  unexpected  dif&culties,  he  returned  in 
disgust  to  England.  The  lands,  therefore,  reverted  to 
their  former  occupiers  ;  and  in  1603  James  I.  confirmed 
Sir  Eandal  Macdonnell  in  the  possession  of  the  terri- 
tory of  the  Eoute.  All  this  was  before  the  gToat 
Plantation  of  Ulster,  in  which  the  chief  agent  was  Sir 
Arthur  Chichester,  on  whom  the  king  had  conferred 
a  considerable  estate  in  Antrim.  By  him  the  lands 
were  carefallv  surveyed  and  divided  into  portions  of 


16  THE   PLANTATION.  [Cn.  1 

one  thousand,  and  fifteen  hundred,  and  two  thousand 
acres,  and  alloted  to  three  classes,  servants  of  the  crown, 
voluntary  emigrants  from  Britain,  and  native  settlers, 
on  condition  of  their  building  houses  and  walled  in- 
closures  within  a  certain  time.  The  number  of  colon- 
ists under  this  arrangement  was  about  five  hundred, 
among  whom  the  corporation  of  London  settled  nearly 
the  whole  county  of  Coleraine  or  Derry,  for  that  cause 
afterward  called  Londonderry. 

The  king  provided  for  the  church  by  restoring  to 
the  bishoprics  their  alienated  revenues  and  transferring 
the  tithes  from  them  to  the  incumbents,  by  repairing 
churches  and  glebes,  and  endowing  free  schools  in  all 
the  principal  towns. 

In  1610  the  lands  began  to  be  occupied,  the  north 
and  east  of  the  province  by  emigrants  from  Scotland, 
the  south  and  west  from  England,  but  in  friendly 
cooperation.  The  cities  were  again  inhabited,  the 
woods-  cleared,  new  towns  built,  and  cultivation  re- 
commenced, though  often  interrupted  by  the  natives 
inhabiting  the  woods  and  fastnesses,  who  often  came 
within  the  English  Pale,  i.  e.,  the  counties  immediately 
suriounding  Dubhn.  The  king  preferred  Scottish 
settlers,  as  being  intermediate  between  English  ten- 
derness and  Irish  roughness,  and  he  hoped  that  their 
examples  and  Protestant  professions  would  tend  to 
their  refinement.  Amono;  the  colonists  from  Eno-land 
at  this  period  were  the  families  of  Clotworthy,  Chi- 
chester, Ellis,  Leslie,  Langford  and  others  ;  from  Scot- 
land, those  of  Balfour,  Forbes,  Graham,  Stewart  and 
Hamilton.  The  Macdonnells  had  already  come  from 
the  \Yestern  Islands.  The  most  successful  of  the  Scot- 
tish settlers  and  the  most  connected  with  the  Presby- 


1610-15.]  HUGH   MONTGOMERY.  17 

terian  interest,  were  the  families  of  Montgomery  and 
Hamilton,  of  whose  introduction  there  a  strange  tale  is 
related,  namely,  that  when  one  Con  O'Neill,  the  great- 
est native  chief  in  the  County  Down,  was  imprisoned 
as  a  rebel  at  Carrickfergus,  his  wife  crossed  the  chan- 
nel into  Scotland,  and  proposed  to  Hugh  Montgomery 
of  Broadstoue,  that  if  he  would  procure  her  husband's 
pardon  he  should  have  two  thirds  of  the  estate,  which 
he  secured  by  offering  one  third  to  Hamilton,  already 
mentioned  as  a  fellow  of  Trinity  College,  and  at  this 
time  a  favorite  and  man  of  influence  at  James'  court. 
Both  he  and  Montgomery  took  up  their  abode  in  Ul- 
ster, and  were  followed  by  many  Scottish  gentlemen 
and  farmers,  whose  descendants  are  still  found  there, 
such  as  the  Shaws,  Calderwoods,  Boyds,  Keiths,  Max- 
wells, Kopes,  Barclays,  Moors,  and  Bayleys. 

The  other  parts  of  Ulster  were  not  occupied  so  rap- 
idly as  Down  and  Antrim.  In  1618,  although  eight 
thousand  men  of  British  birth  or  descent,  able  to  bear 
arms,  were  settled  in  the  country,  the  fourth  part  of 
the  land  was  not  fully  inhabited.  This  arose  in  part 
from  the  neglect  of  the  original  conditions  by  the  set- 
tlers. The  statement  sometimes  made  that  the  confis- 
cated lands  comprised  the  whole  of  Ulster  is  a  gross 
exaggeration. 

The  Irish  Parliament  which  met  in  1615,  on  account 
of  the  number  of  Scots  who  had  settled  among  the 
Irish  in  Ulster,  found  it  necessary  to  repeal  the  laws 
forbidding  intercourse  between  the  native  and  the  Brit- 
ish races.  This  was  an  occasion  of  great  rejoicing  to 
both  parties.  The  laws  which  had  made  it  high  trea- 
son for  the  Irish  to  intermarry  with  the  English,  and 
felony  in  them  to  em])loy  the  Irish  in  the  fostering  of 


18  THE   CONVOCATION.  [Ch.  I. 

their  children,  were  repealed,  although  they  had  long 
been  obsolete,  j^.nd  the  statute  of  Queen  Marj^  which 
forbid  the  Anglo-Irish  to  introduce  the  Scotch  into  the 
kingdom  was  also  repealed.  For  although  this  act  had 
originall}^  reference  to  those  Scottish  marauders  who 
formerly  infested  Ulster,  yet  for  the  fature  peace  it  was 
now  formally  rescinded. 

In  the  same  year  a  convocation  of  the  clergy  met  in 
Dublin,  the  Church  being  now  so  firmly  established  as 
for  the  first  time  to  authorize  such  an  assembly.  The 
statutes  already  in  force  in  the  kingdom  having  only 
reference  to  the  celebration  of  public  worship  which 
had  been  made  conformable  to  that  of  the  Church  of 
England,  it  became  necessary  formally  to  declare  its 
faith  and  to  regulate  its  future  government.  Accord- 
ingly, bishops  were  consecrated  and  the  sacraments 
dispensed  according  to  the  same  ritual,  and  the  eccle- 
siastical courts  were  similarly  constitute:!.  But  the 
principal  act  of  this  convocation  was  the  adoption  of 
a  confession  of  faith.  The  drawing  up  of  this  was  in- 
trusted to  Dr.  James  Ussher,  Professor  of  Divinity  in 
Trinity  College,  and  afterward  Archbishop  of  Ar- 
magh. This  important  trust  he  executed  with  marked 
ability  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  convocation.  It 
was  unanimously  adopted,  transmitted  to  England  and 
approved  by  the  king  in  council,  and  iu  the  same  year 
it  was  solemnly  ratified,  iu  his  majesty's  name,  in  Dub- 
lin, by  the  Lord  Deputy,  and  formally  published  as  the 
accredited  standard  of  the  national  faith. 

These  articles  were  highly  Calvinistic  as  to  doctrine 
and  extremely  moderate  as  to  government  and  disci- 
pline. This  is  the  more  remarkable  as  low  views  of  the 
on©  and  high  views  of  the  other  were  at  this  time 


1615.]  USSHER'S  CONFESSION.  19 

prevalent  in  England,  and  being  enforced  by  the  au- 
thorities, drove  many  Non-Conformisis  to  Ireland, 
where  they  occupied  the  highest  stations,  and  combined 
with  Ussher'.s  articles  to  make  the  Church  of  Ireland 
in  that  day  the  most  moderate  and  tolerant  Episcopal 
organization  known  to  history. 

This  Confession  includes,  in  almost  the  same  words, 
the  nine  articles  of  Lambeth,  which  the  English  Pari- 
tans  had  in  vain  requested  to  be  adopted  at  the  Hamp- 
ton Court  Conference  in   1604.     The  morality  of  the 
Sabbath  is  strongly  asserted,  though  a  tenet  well  known 
to  be  at  variance  with  the  sentiments  of  the  king — the 
validity  of  ordination  by  presbyters  is  clearly  implied — 
the  doctrine  of  absolution  is  condemned,  and  the  for- 
giveness of  sins  by  the  clergy  taught  to  be  only  de- 
claratory—Lent is  disclaimed  as  a  religious  fast,  and  the 
Pope  is  unhesitatingly  pronounced  to  be  Antichrist — 
all  which  tenets  were  then  characteristic  of  the  Puri- 
tan party  in  the  church,  and  eagerly  defended  by  them 
in  opposition  to  the  High  Church  clergy.     At  the  same 
time  no  authority  is  claimed  for  framing  or  enforcing 
ecclesiastical  canons  or  decreeing  rites  and  ceremonies, 
and  no  allusion  i^  made  to  the  mode  of  consecrating 
the  higher  orders  of  the  clergy,  as  if  -on  purpose  to 
avoid  maintaining  that  distinction  between  bishops  and 
presbyters  which  was  so  much  opposed  by  the  Non- 
Conformists.     And  the  Confession  is  summed  up  by  a 
decree  of  the  convocation,  forbidding  the  public  teach- 
ing of  any  doctrine  contrary  to  the  articles  now  sol- 
emnly agreed  upon.     On  this  comprehensive  founda- 
tion the  Irish  Church  was  formally  settled.     This  act 
of  the  convocation  encouraged  many  pious  persons  to 
come  over,  who  relieved  the  character  of  the  previous 


20  EDWARD   BRICE.  [Ch.  I. 

emigration,  more  especially  from  England,  represented 
bj  contemporary  writers  as  exceedingly  degraded. 

Among  these  better  emigrants  were  several  minis- 
ters from  England  and  Scotland,  who  may  be  regarded 
as  the  founders  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Ireland. 
The  first  of  these,  in  point  of  time,  was  Edward  Brice, 
for  many  years  minister  of  Drymen^  in  Sterlingshire  ; 
but  having  steadily  opposed  the  proposition  to  make 
Archbishop  Spotswood  permanent  moderator  of  the 
Synod  of  Clydesdale,  he  was  soon  obliged  to  leave  his 
church  and  country,  and  settled  near  his  old  friend  and 
neighbor,  William  Edmonstone,  in  the  district  of 
Broadisland,  in  the  county  of  Antrim.  He  was  ad- 
mitted by  Bishop  Echlin,  of  Down,  himself  a  Scotch- 
man, and  afterward  raised  to  the  nominal  rank  of  a 
prebendar}^,  but  without  relinquishing  his  prior  settle- 
ment or  his  former  mode  of  preaching,  which  is  de- 
scribed by  Livingston  as  dwelling  chiefly  on  "  the  life 
of  Christ  in  the  heart  and  the  light  of  his  Word  and 
Spirit  on  the  mind." 

In  the  adjoining  parish  of  Carrickfergus  was  settled 
for  a  time  a  Mr.  Hubbard,  an  Englishman,  who  had 
left  the  Church  and  became  a  Non-Conformist  minis- 
ter in  Southwark  ;  but  being  driven  thence,  was  in- 
vited by  Sir  Arthur  Chichester,  his  fellow-student  at 
Cambridge,  to  settle  at  Carrickfergus,  where  he  died 
after  two  years  residence,  and  many  of  his  people  who 
had  followed  him  returned  to  London.  Blair  describes 
him  as  an  "  able,  gracious  man." 

After  Hubbard's  death  his  place  was,  for  a  time,  sup- 
plied by  John  Glendinning,  a  native  of  Scotland,  edu- 
cated at  St.  Andrews,  but  had  at  an  early  period  set- 
tled in  Ireland  as  incumbent  of  Coole  (or  Carnraoney) 


1621.]   SETTLEMENT   OF   RIDGE   AND   CUNNINGHAM.       21 

and  lecturer  in  Carrickfergus.     The  remainder  of  his 
history  will  be  given  in  another  place. 

At  Antrim  was  another  Englishman,  John  Eidge, 
ordained  by  the  Bishop  of  Oxford  in  1611,  but  bav- 
in 2:  no  reliofions  freedom  for  the  exercise  of  his  min- 
istry  in  England,  he  removed  to  Ireland,  where  he  was 
presented  to  the  vicarage  of  Antrim  by  Sir  Arthur 
(now  Lord)  Chichester,  and  had  the  reputation  of  au 
humble  and  judicious  minister.  Livingston  says  of 
him  :  "  He  used  not  to  have  many  points  in  his  ser- 
mon, but  he  so  enlarged  those  he  had  that  it  was 
scarcely  possible  for  any  hearer  to  forget  his  preach- 

o 

Beside  these  ministers  in  Antrim,  there  were  others 
in  the  County  Down  no  less  distinguished.  One  of 
these  was  Eobert  Cunningham,  who  had  been  chaplain 
to  the  Earl  of  Buccleugh's  regiment  in  Holland  ;  but 
as  soon  as  it  returned  to  Scotland  he  removed  to  Ire- 
land, and  was  admitted  by  Bishop  Echlin  as  Curate  of 
Hollywood  and  Craigavad,  with  a  stipend  from  Sir 
James  Hamilton,  already  mentioneJ,  now  ennobled  by 
the  title  of  Lord  Olaneboy.  Livingston  describes  him 
as  eminent  for  Christ-like  meekness,  and  so  universally 
respected  as  to  be  sometimes  troubled  with  that  Scrip- 
ture, "  Wo  to  you  when  all  men  speak  well  of  you." 

In  the  neighboring  parish  of  Bangor  preached  the 
famous  Kobert  Blair,  once  a  regent  or  professor  at 
Glasgow,  but  driven  thence  by  the  proceedings  of  Dr. 
Cameron,  the  Episcopal  Principal,  and  presented  to 
Bangor  by  Lord  Claneboy  and  ordained  by  the  sur- 
rounding ministers,  Bishop  Echlin  acting,  at  his  own 
suggestion,  merel}^  as  a  presbyter.  The  scruples  of 
these  excellent  Scottish  ministers  appear  to  have  ex- 


22  blair's  narkative.  [Ch.  i. 

tended  only  to  tlie  rank  and  number  of  officiatiDg  min- 
ister?, and  not  at  all  to  the  re-ordination,  vvdiich  was 
the  main  dijficulty  with  John  Howe  and  other  English 
Non -Conformists. 

Blair  thns  narrates  the  circumstances  of  his  settle- 
ment in  Banoor  : — "  When  I  landed  in  Ireland,  some 
men  parting  from  their  cnps  and  all  things  smelling  of 
a  root  called  rampions,  my  prejudice  was  confirmed 
against  that  land.  But  next  da}^,  traveling  toward 
Bangor,  I  met  so  unexpectedly  with  so  sweet  a  peace 
and  so  great  a  jo}',  as  I  behoved  to  look  thereon  as 
my  welcome  thither ;  and  retiring  to  a  private  place 
about  a  mile  above  Carrickfergus,  I  prostrated  myself 
upon  the  grass  to  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  who  proved  the 
same  to  me  in  Ireland  which  he  had  been  in  Scotland. 
Nevertheless,  my  aversion  to  a  settlement  there  con- 
tinued strong,  and  when  my  noble  patron  renewed  his 
invitation  and  offer,  I  was  very  careful  to  inform  him 
both  of  what  accusations  had  been  laid  asrainst  me  of 
disaffection  to  the  civil  powers,  and  that  I  could  not 
submit  to  the  use  of  the  English  liturgy  nor  Episcopal 
government,  to  see  if  either  of  these  would  prevail  with 
him  to  pass  from  his  invitation.  But  he  having  been 
informed  by  a  minister  present  with  my  altercations 
with  Dr.  Cameron,  he  said,  '  I  know  all  that  business : ' 
and  for  the  other  point,  he  added,  that  he  was  confident 
of  procuring  a  free  entry  for  me,  which  he  quicklj^  ef- 
fectuated. So  all  my  devices  to  obstruct  a  settlement 
there  did  evanish  and  took  no  effect,  the  counsel  of  the 
Lord  standing  fast  in  all  generations  ;  yea  His  wisdom 
overruled  all  this,  both  to  procure  me  a  free  and  safe 
entry  to  the  hoi}'  ministry  ;  and  that  when,  after  some 
years,  I  met  with  trials  for  my  non-conformity,  neither 


1623.]  HIS  SETTLEMENT.  28 

patron  nor  prelate  could  say  tliat  I  had  broken  my 
condition  to  them. 

"  Having  been  invited  to  preach  by  the  patron  and 
by  Mr.  Gibson,  the  sick  incumbent,  I  yielded  to  their 
invitation  and  preached  there  three  Sabbath-days. 
After  that,  several  of  the  aged  and  most  respectful  per- 
sons in  the  congregation  came  to  me,  by  order  of  the 
whole,  and  informed  me  that  they  were  edified  by  the 
doctrine  delivered  by  me,  intreated  me  not  to  leave 
them,  and  promised,  if  the  patron's  offer  of  mainten- 
ance was  not  large  enough,  they  would  v/illingly  add 
to  the  same.  This  promise  I  slighted,  being  too  caie- 
less  of  competent  and  comfortable  provision,  for  I  had 
no  thought  of  any  greater  family  than  a  boy  or  two 
to  serve  me.  But  on  the  former  part  of  that  speech, 
importing  the  congregation's  call,  I  laid  great  weight, 
and  it  did  contribute  more  to  the  removing  of  my  un- 
willingness to  settle  there  than  any  thing  else.  Like- 
wise the. dying  man  (Gribson)  did  several  ways  encour- 
age me.  He  professed  great  sorrow  for  his  having  been 
a  dean.  He  condemned  Episcopacy  more  strongly 
than  ever  I  durst  do.  He  charged  me  in  the  name  of 
Christ,  and  as  I  expected  His  blessing  on  my  ministry, 
not  to  leave  that  good  way  wherein  I  had  begun  to 
walk ;  and  then  drawing  my  head  toward  his  bosom 
with  both  his  arms,  he  laid  his  hands  on  my  head  and 
blessed  me." 

From  the  time  of  Mr.  Blair's  re-ordination,  which 
was  in  July,  1623,  he  was  eminent  among  the  Irish 
clergy  for  his  imposing  presence  and  his  power  as  a 
preacher,  while  in  private  he  was  noted  as  a  man  of 
prayer  and  intimate  communion  with  Grod. 

Shortly  after  his  settlement  at  Bant^or  he  was  the 


24  JAMES  HAMILTON.  [Ch.  I, 

meaDS  of  adding  to  tlie  Irish  ministry  James  Hamilton, 
the  nephew  of  Lord  Claneboj,  who  had  been  employed 
by  him  as  his  steward  or  agent,  though  a  person  of  fine 
education  Blair  invited  him  to  preach  in  his  uncle's 
hearing,  who  was  taken  by  surprise,  and  complained 
that  he  had  not  disclosed  his  inclination  sooner,  but  a 
short  tune  afterward  presented  him  to  Ballywalter, 
where  he  gained  the  reputation  of  a  learned  and  in- 
structive preacher,  rather  doctrinal  than  hortatory. 

These  seven  Englishmen  and  Scotchmen  Avere  th^ 
pioneers  of  evangelical  religion  in  the  north  of  Ireland, 
and  began  those  labors  which  resulted  in  a  general 
awakening  and  conversion  and  the  ultimate  foundation 
of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Ulster. 


CHAPTER     II. 

1625-1634. 

The  labors  of  these  men  were  speedily  rewarded  by 
a  great  revival  of  religion,  wLicb  attracted  much  at- 
tention both  in  Britain  and  America.     This  awaken- 
ino-,  which  extended  throuQ-h  the  counties  Down  and 
Antrim,  began  under  the  preaching  of  Glend inning, 
who  was  so  little  esteemed  by  his  brethren  that  Blair, 
though  he  saw  "  some  sparkles  of  good  inclination"  in 
him,  advised  him  to  withdraw  from  Carrickfergus  to 
some  country  parish,  where  inferior  gifts  would  be  suf- 
ficient.    Accordingly  he  removed  to  Oldstone,  on  the 
Sixmilewater,  where  he  preached  the  terrors  of  the 
law  among  a  very  wicked  people  with  such  effect  that 
a  dozen  strong  men,  known  as  brawlers  and  disturbers 
of  the  public  peace,  were  carried  out  of  church  in  one 
day  as  if  dead,  one  of  whom  afterward  confessed  that" 
he  had  come  there  to  make  mischief,  and  all  (or  most) 
of  whom,   with  others  like  them,  became  "mighty 
Christians,"  and  were  "  patterns  of  society,"  when  these 
facts  were  recorded  by  the  pen  of  an  eye*witness.* 

The  work  of  grace,  from  this  beginning,  spread 
throughout  the  valley  of  the  Sixmilewater,  and  em- 
braced among  its  subjects  some  of  the  most  distin- 
guished settlers,  such  as  Sir  John  Clotworthy  of  An- 
trim, with  his  mother,  wife,  and  son,  who  was  afterward 
Lord  Massareene,  a  zealous  Presbyterian  and  a  noted 

*  Andrew  Stewart's  MS. 
2 


26  AWAKENING  IN   UI^TER.  [Ch.  H, 

member  of  the  Long  Parliament,  and  the  lineal  pro- 
genitor of  the  present  Yiscount  Massareene  and  Fer- 
rard  in  the  Irish  peerage. 

One  effect  of  this  awakening  was  a  call  for  additional 
religious  services  beside  those  of  the  Sabbath,  wbicb 
was  met  by  the  commencement  of  a  stated  meeting, 
on  the  last  Friday  of  the  montb,  for  prayer  and  con- 
ference, at  first  held  in  the  parish  of  Oldstone,  at  the 
bouse  of  Hugh  Campbell,  a  refugee  from  Ayrshire, 
whom  "  God  had  caught  in  Ireland  and  made  an  ex- 
emplary Christian"  to  the  day  when  Andrew  Stewart 
penned  these  expressions.  As  the  meetings  were  at- 
tended even  by  persons  from  a  distance,  they  were  after- 
ward removed  to  Antrim,  as  a  central  point,  one  mile 
from  Oldstone,  under  the  direction  of  John  Eidge,  as- 
sisted by  Blair,  Cunningham  and  Hamilton.  Glendin- 
ning,  who  was  not  invited  to  take  part  in  them  after 
their  removal  from  bis  parish,  tried  to  vie  with  them 
by  extraordinary  feats  of  prayer  and  watching,  then  be- 
trayed his  want  of  judgment  by  embracing  a  succession 
of  enthusiastic  errors,  ending  in  a  visit  to  the  seven 
churches  of  Asia,  when  he  disappears  from  history, 
leaving  his  place  to  be  supplied  by  wiser  and  more 
faithful  men  from  Scotland. 

The  first  of  this  second  emigration  of  Scotch  preach- 
ers was  Josias  Welsh,  son  of  the  famous  John  Welsh, 
minister  of  Ayr,  and  by  Elizabeth,  third  daughter  of 
the  great  Eeformer,  John  Knox.  Welsh  (the  younger) 
had  been  educated  at  Geneva,  and  was  Professor  of 
Humanity  at  Glasgow  until  forced,  like  Blair,  to  leave 
it  by  the  innovations  of  Principal  Cameron.  Taking 
up  his  abode  with  Mr.  Shaw,  a  gentleman  from  Ayr- 
shire, now  residing  on  the  Sixmilewater,  he  supplied 


1626-27.]  SCOTCH   MINISTERS  ARRIVE.  27 

the  pulpit  of  Glendinning  after  liis  departure,  till  he 
was  settled  at  Tcmplepatrick,  in  the  same  vicinity,  as 
chaplain  to  Captain  Humphrey  Norton,  another  sub- 
ject of  this  great  revival,  who  disinherited  his  daugh- 
ter on  account  of  an  imprudent  marriage  and  sold  his 
great  estate  to  Captain  Henry  Upton  (son-in-law  to 
Sir  Hugh  Clotworthy),  another  zealous  Presbyterian, 
and  ancestor  of  the  present  Viscount  Templetown. 
Welsh  was  re-ordained  by  his  own  kinsman,  Bishop 
Knox  of  Eaphoe,  who,  as  well  as  the  Reformer,  be- 
loDged  to  the  Knoxes  of  Eanfurly  in  Renfrewshire, 
now  represented  by  the  Knoxes  of  Dungannon,  and 
since  ennobled  by  the  title  of  Ranfurly  in  the  British 
peerage.  Welsh  is  described  by  Blair,  who  exhorted 
him  to  visit  Ireland,  as  having  a  great  measure  of  his 
father's  spirit,  and  as  eager  to  ''  convince  the  secure 
and  sweetly  comfort  those  that  were  dejected  ;"  while 
another  eminent  contemporary  (Livingston)  speaks  of 
him  as  "  having  many  seals  to  his  ministry,"  and  as 
one  ''  much  exercised  in  his  own  spirit,"  so  that  "much 
of  his  preaching  was  an  exercise  of  conscience." 

After  him  came  over  Andrew  Stewart,  in  1627,  as 
minister  of  Donegore,  a  parish  adjoining  Tcmplepatrick 
and  Antrim.  He  is  described  by  Livingston  as  "  a 
man  very  streight  in  the  cause  of  God,"  and  by  Blair 
as  "  a  learned  gentleman,  fervent  in  spirit,  and  a  very 
successful  minister." 

The  next  was  George  Dunbar,  long  minister  of  Ayr, 
but  twice  ejected  by  the  High  Commission  Court  for 
his  resistance  to  King  James'  measures  for  the  over- 
throw of  Presbytery  in  Scotland.  He  was  long  a  pris- 
oner at  Blackness,  and  then  banished  by  the  Privy 
Council;    after  which  he  went  to  Ireland,  and  was 


28  DUNBAR — COLWORT.  [Ch.  IL 

ultimately  settled  at  Inver  or  Laine,  where  lie  proved 
a  most  diligent  and  useful  minister.  An  interesting 
anecdote  is  told  of  liim,  to  wit,  tliat  having  witnessed 
the  awakening  at  Antrim,  he  was  grieving  in  his  own 
pulpit  that  none  of  his  people  had  gotten  good  from 
his  ministry,  when  one  Kobert  Brown  arose  and  said 
before  them  all  that  "  he  had  gotten  good,"  and  there 
appeared  a  blessed  change  wrought  in  him  and  several 
others,  among  whom  was  Andrew  Brown,  a  very 
wicked  deaf-mute.  As  if  to  try  the  truth  of  these 
conversions,  some  were  seized  in  Laine  and  the  ad- 
joining parish  of  Broadisland,  with  "  violent  breath- 
ings and  convulsions"  during  public  worship,  which 
they  regarded  as  proofs  of  a  spiritual  influence,  but, 
being  unaccompanied  by  any  sense  of  sin  or  desire  of 
a  Saviour,  were  denounced  by  Brice  and  Dunbar  as 
a  mere  delusion  and  device  of  the  destroyer  to  disgrace 
the  work. 

Next  to  Dunbar  came  Henry  Colwort  (also  written 
Calvert).  He  was  born  in  England,  but  was  ordained 
by  Bishop  Knox  of  Kaphoe,  and  for  a  time  assisted 
Brice  at  Broadisland,  but  soon  afterwards  was  presented 
to  the  parish  of  Oldstone  by  Eoger  Langford,  Esq. 
He  is  described  by  Blair  as  a  preacher  of  "  a  fervent 
spirit  and  a  vehement  delivery,  very  diligent  withal, 
and  a  blessing  to  that  people."  By  Livingston  he  is 
spoken  of  as  one  "  who  pertinently  cited  much  Scrip- 
ture in  his  sermons,  and  frequently  urged  private  fast- 
ing and  prayer," 

The  last  in  this  remarkable  succession  of  Scotch 
ministers,  settled  over  parishes  in  Ulster,  is  John  Liv- 
ingston himself,  whose  words  have  been  so  often  quoted 
in  relation  to  the  others.     He  had  been  assistant  min- 


1630.] 


JOHN  LIVINGSTON.  29 


ister  at  Torphicben  in  Scotland,  but  was  silenced  by 
Arcbbisbop  Spotswood  in  1627,  for  opposing  his  pre- 
latical  innovations.     He  continued  to  preacb  secretly, 
however,  though  excluded  by  the  bishop  from  a  settle- 
ment, until  1630,  when  he  was  invited  by  Dunbar  and 
Cunningham  to  Ireland,  and  presented  by  Lord  Clane- 
boy  to  Killinchy.     Like  several  of  those  already  men- 
tioned, he  submitted  without  scruple  to  re-ordination 
at  the  hands  of  Bishop  Knox,  or  rather  those  of  Cun- 
ningham and  two  or  three  neighboring  ministers,  but 
in  the  presence  of  the  bishop,  who  said  he  thought  his 
old  age  was  prolonged  for  little  other  purpose  but  to 
do  such  offices,  and  that  he  could  not  be  called  "  my 
lord"  by  such  as  scrupled  it.     He  even  handed  Liv- 
ingston the  "  Book  of  Ordination"  and  desired  him  to 
mark  whatever  he  objected  to  ;  but  this  was  rendered 
needless  by  its  having  been  already  marked  by  others. 
These  particulars,  recorded  by  Livingston  himself,  are 
interesting  as  illustrations  of  what  may  be  regarded  as 
the  unique  and  anomalous  condition  of  the  Church  of 
Ireland  in  the  days  of  Ussher,  when  avowed  and  even 
rigid  Presbyterians    were   admitted   or   ordained  by 
bishops  with  a  perfect  knowledge  of  their  pruiciples 
and  practice,  and   without  requiring  any   change  in 
cither.     Livingston  stands  high  among  the  founders  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Ireland  for  learning,  zeal, 
success,  and  suffering,  of  which  some  proofs  will  be 
adduced  below. 

Beside  these  settled  pastors,  there  were  two  men  who 
may  be  regarded  as  evangelists,  and  who  deserve  a 
place  in  the  same  catalogue.  These  were  John  M'Clel- 
land  and  John  Semple ;  the  first  a  schoolmaster  at 
Newtonards,  v/ho,  after  trial  and  examination,  was  m- 


30  THEIR  LABORS.  [Oh.  H. 

vited  by  the  minister  and  people  of  Down  to  preacli 
for  them,  and  proved  himself  a  zealous,  fearless  cham- 
pion of  true  godliness  ;  the  other  a  precentor  or  clerk, 
who  was  one  day  led,  by  the  miniister's  delay  in  com- 
ing, to  expound  the  psalm  in  church,  and  showing  a 
most  edifying  gift,  was  licensed  by  the  ministers  to 
preach  in  private  houses,  as  he  did  throughout  the 
country,  both  in  dwellings  and  in  barns,  with  great  ac- 
ceptance and  with  many  conversions  as  the  fruit  of  his 
humble  but  most  useful  ministry. 

Such  were  the  men  who  kept  alive  the  spirit  of  true 
piety  in  Ulster,  Down,  and  Antrim,  while  the  other 
clergy  of  the  diocese,  about  thirty  in  number,  v/ere  in 
many  instances  non-resident  and  pluralists,  and  some- 
times careless,  if  not  "  lewd  and  scandalous,"  the  best 
merely  going  the  formal  rounds  of  their  official  duty. 
Of  the  churches  in  the  same  district  only  fourteen  were 
in  good  repair,  the  remainder  being  either  decayed  or 
ruinous.  Blair  describes  his  parish  at  Bangor  as  six 
miles  in  length,  with  a  population  of  twelve  thousand 
adults,  beside  many  children,  whom  he  taught  by 
preaching  twice  a  week  besides  the  Sabbath,  and,  when 
this,  seemed  insufficient,  by  more  private  catechising 
and  exhorting,  which  impaired  his  health,  but  only  for 
a  time,  as  he  frequently  exchanged  with  ''  holy  Cun- 
ningham" at  Holy  wood,  and  celebrated  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per with  him  four  times  a  year  in  each  congregation. 
His  adherence,  upon  these  occasions,  to  the  old  Scotch 
use  of  tables,  brought  him  into  momentary  conflict 
with  his  patron,  Lord  Claneboy,  but  with  no  ulterior 
result  except  to  make  their  friendship  still  more  inti- 
mate. 

The  same  course  was  adopted  by  the  other  Presby- 


1630.]  MONTHLY  MEETINGS  AT   ANTRIM.  31 

terian  ministers  in  Ulster,  not  only  witli  respect  to  tlie 
communion  but  to  other  points  of  discipline  and  order, 
not  excepting  the  Kirk-session,  composed  of  elders  and 
deacons,  which  was  kept  up  at  Bangor  with  great  en- 
ergy and  actual  effect,  until  some  subjected  by  its 
discipline  appealed  to  the  bishop,  who  required  all 
complaints  to  be  made  to  his  ''  official."  A  similar 
experiment  was  made  at  Killinchy  by  Livingston,  who 
even  went  so  far  as  to  require  public  confession  from 
scandalous  offenders  at  the  Saturday  sermon  before  the 
communion,  which  was  celebrated  twice  a  year. 

The  support  of  these  ministers  was  partly  derived 
from  the  tithes  of  their  respective  parishes,  and  partlj 
from  the  fixed  stipends  from  the  patrons,  who  in  that 
case  took  the  tithes  themselves.  The  parishioners  of 
Bangor  offered  to  increase  the  stipend,  if  not  large 
enough,  and  Livingston's  support  at  Killinchy  came 
entirely  from  the  people,  but  amounted  only  to  four 
pounds  per  annum. 

These  ministers  were  all,  in  doctrine,  strictly  Calvin- 
istio,  and  not,  as  they  have  sometimes  been  misrepre- 
sented, hostile  to  confessions,  creeds,  and  covenants ; 
the  Scotchmen  having  signed  the  Scotch  Confessions 
and  both  Englishmen  and  Scotchmen  having  heartily  as- 
sented to  the  Confession  of  the  Irish  Church,  which  was 
wholly  unobjectionable  either  to  the  English  Puritans 
or  Scottish  Presbyterians.  They  were  naturally  bound 
together  in  an  intimate  association,  the  chief  bond  of 
union  being  the  monthly  meetings  at  Antrim,  which 
were  largely  attended,  both  by  ministers  and  people, 
from  considerable  distances,  with  an  almost  insatiable 
hunger  for  the  word,  and  which  contributed  materially 
to  that  revival  of  religion  which   has  been  already 


32  TROUBLES   FROM  SEPARATISTS.  [Oh.  II. 

mentioned,  and  which  Fleming  describes  in  his  "  Ful- 
filling of  the  Scriptures"  as  "  a  bright  and  hot  sun- 
blink  of  the  gospel." 

The  opposition  to  this  work  proceeded  partly  from 
the  papists,  who  were  much  encouraged  by  the  pros- 
pect of  a  marriage  between  Charles  I.  and  a  Spanish 
princess,  which  emboldened  two  friars  from  Salamanca 
to  challenge  the  ministers  to  a  debate,  but  when  their 
challenge  was  accepted  by  Blair  and  Welsh,  they  failed 
to  appear  at  the  time  and  place  appointed.  Another 
interruption  was  produced  by  Separatists  from  London, 
perhaps  Baptists,  who  made  no  permanent  impression  ; 
and  a  third  by  Freeman,  an  Armenian  Conformist,  who 
attacked  the  Calvinistic  doctrine  at  one  of  the  monthly 
meetings  at  Antrim,  but  was  afterward  confuted  by 
Blair  in  a  public  disputation,  and  being  deserted  by 
the  people  he  afterward  became  very  dissolute. 

But  although  circumstances  rendered  these  few  min- 
isters conspicuous  as  Calvinists  and  Presbyterians, 
most  of  the  northern  clergy  were  at  this  time  Non- 
Conformists,  both  in  theory  and  practice,  and  their 
names  have  not  been  left  on  record  simply  because  the 
indifference  of  the  earlier  Protestant  bishops  left  them 
unmolested ;  while  the  few  of  whom  we  have  been 
speaking  came  into  collision  with  the  later  and  less 
tolerant  authorities. 

To  this  distinction  they  were  called  soon  after  Liv- 
ingston arrived  by  the  growing  jealousy  of  Bishop 
Echlin,  their  own  countryman  and  once  their  friend  and 
patron,  who  had  admitted  or  ordained  the  earlier  emi- 
grants, but  refused  that  office  to  Welsh,  Livingston, 
and  Colv/ort,  who  were,  therefore,  obliged  to  have  re- 
course to  Bishop  Knox  of  Kaphoe.     Blair  describes 


1630-81.]    BLAIR  AND   LIVINGSTON  SUSPENDED.  33 

the  efforts  made  bv  Eclilin  to  embarrass  and  obstruct 
his  ministry  as  early  as  the  year  1626,  but  with  no  ef- 
fect except  that  of  giving  him  more  influence  on  the 
leading  men  of  the  country.  The  immediate  occasion 
of  more  open  opposition  was  the  famous  sacramental 
service  at  the  Kirk  of  Shotts,  in  1630,  at  which  Blair 
and  Livingston,  and  a  sermon  by  the  latter,  is  supposed 
to  have  been  instrumental  in  the  conversion  of  five 
hundred  souls.  The  Scottish  ministers  there  present 
were  beyond  the  reach  of  their  prelatical  opponents, 
who  therefore  took  advantage  of  the  anomalous  posi- 
tion occupied  by  Blair  and  Livingston  as  beneficed 
clergj^men  in  the  Church  of  Irehmd.  and  accordingly 
Bishop  Law  of  Glasgow,  and  Maxwell  of  Edinburg, 
afterwards  Bishop  of  Ross,  and  one  of  the  chief  instru- 
ments of  Charles  in  introducing  prelacj^  in  Scotland,  in- 
duced Leslie,  Dean  of  Down,  to  inform  the  bishop  of 
the  irregularities  practiced  by  his  clergy.  This  was 
seconded  by  Lord  Chief  Baron  Bolton,  who  attended 
the  assizes  on  the  northern  circuit,  and  resulted  in  a 
sentence  of  suspension  against  Blair  and  Livingston 
(September,  1631). 

Blair  immediately  resorted  to  Archbishop  Ussher, 
with  whom  he  had  before  been  made  acquainted  by 
Lord  Clancboy  and  been  treated  with  indulgence  even 
while  avowing  the  same  principles,  and  censuring  the 
archbishop  for  allowing  the  liturgy  to  be  used  in  his 
own  family !  He  was  no  less  friendly  upon  this  occa- 
sion, writing  at  once  to  Echlin  "  to  relax  his  erroneous 
censure,"  which  was  instantly  obeyed,  and  Blair  and 
Livingston  restored.  But  the  accusation  was  renewed 
by  Maxwell  to  the  king  himself,  now  wholly  influenced 
in  church  affairs  by  Laud,  who,  as  Blair  says,  ''  did  not 

2* 


84  BliAIR  VISITS  LONDON.  [Oh.  II. 

only  rule  but  domineer  in  England."  In  consequence 
of  tliis  application  orders  were  sent,  through  the  Lords 
Justices  of  Ireland,  to  the  bishops  of  Down  and  Con- 
nor to  try  and  censure  these  fanatical  incumbents.  But 
instead  of  trying  them,  he  simply  required  them  to 
conform  and  subscribe  the  English  formularies,  and  on 
their  declining  so  to  do,  as  not  required  by  any  law  or 
canon,  he  deposed  them  both  on  the  4th  of  May,  1632, 
and  the  next  week  passed  the  same  sentence  on  Dun- 
bar and  "Welsh,  who  had  been  included  in  the  last 
charge,  being  specially  obnoxious  to  the  prelatists  as 
Scottish  Non- Conformists  prior  to  their  settlement  in 
Ireland. 

Application  was  again  made  to  Archbishop  Ussher, 
but  he  said  he  could  not  interfere  with  a  direct  royal 
order  to  the  Lords  Justices,  who  in  their  turn  referred 
the  matter  to  the  king.  Hereupon  Livingston,  relying 
on  the  friendship  of  some  Scottish  nobles  and  his  own 
previous  relation  as  a  tutor  to  the  son  of  William 
Alexander,  the  first  Earl  of  Stirling,  and  at  that  time 
Secretary  of  State  for  Scotland,  visited  that  country 
and  procured  recommendatory  letters  from  the  Mar- 
chioness of  Hamilton  and  the  Earls  of  Eglinton,  Lin- 
lithgow, and  Wigton.  These  he  forwarded  to  Blair, 
who,  in  the  meantime,  had  got  others  from  his  friends 
in  Ireland,  and  had  set  out  for  London,  "  prayer  being 
made  without  ceasing  of  the  church  unto  God  for 
him.'"  When  he  reached  the  court  at  Greenwich,  he 
found  that  the  Earl  of  Stirling  "  feared  Laud  more  than 
God,"  but  through  Secretary  Cook  obtained  an  au- 
dience of  the  king,  and  unexpectedly  received  a  favor- 
able answer  and  an  order  to  Wentworth,  the  new 
Deputy,  with  a  clause  added  by  the  king's  own  hand, 


1632.]  WENTWORTH.  35 

"  that  if  the  informatioa  made  to  him  proved  false,  the 
informer  should  be  punished."  Blair  hastened  back 
to  Ireland  and  with  his  brethren  resumed  his  ministry, 
which  indeed  had  not  been  interrupted  any  further 
than  by  preaching  in  the  clerk's  desk  instead  of  the 
pulpit.  Their  resumption  of  the  latter  was  facilitated 
rather  than  retarded  by  the  fact  that  Wentworth  had 
not  come  to  Ireland,  and  did  not  come  for  a  year  after, 
during  which  long  interval  they  still  preached  and 
awaited  his  arrival  as  the  end  of  the  other  restrictions 
under  which  they  labored,  and  which  weighed  so 
heavily  on  Livingston  that  he  gave  up  the  contest  and 
withdrew  to  Scotland. 

When  Wentworth  did  arrive  at  last,  in  January, 
1632,  Blair  went  to  Dublin  and  presented  the  king's 
letter,  which  he  slighted,  saying  that  he  had  the  king's 
mind  in  his  own  breast,  and  reviled  the  Church  of 
Scotland,  bidding  Blair  to  come  to  his  right  wits  if  he 
would  be  regarded.  When  this,  the  only  answer  that 
could  be  got  from  %im,  was  reported  to  Archbishop 
Ussher,  he  shed  tears,  but  could  do  nothing.  So  dis- 
couraging now  were  the  prospects  of  the  Presbyterians 
in  Ulster,  that  they  seriously  thought  of  emigrating  to 
New  England,  and  John  Livingston,  accompanied  by 
William  Wallace,  actually  set  out  on  a  tour  of  explor- 
ation, but  on  reaching  Plymouth  were  detained  by  va- 
rious untoward  circumstances,  and  returned  to  Ulster 
in  the  month  of  May,  1634,  where  they  found  their 
brethren  resolved  to  endure  some  time  longer,  and 
await  the  changes  which  were  looked  for,  both  in 
Church  and  State,  from  Wentworth's  vigorous  admin- 
istration. 


CHAPTER    III. 

1625-1634. 

Feom  the  accession  of  Charles  I.,  in  1625,  Ireland 
for  some  time  was  at  peace,  but  Romanism,  though  re- 
sisted bj  the  bishops,  was  indulged  by  the  Lord  Lieu- 
tenant (Falkland)  and  encouraged  by  a  bull  from  Ur- 
ban YIII.  in  1626,  exhorting  the  recusants  (or  those 
who  refused  to  take  the  oath  of  supremacy  and  attend 
Protestant  worship)  to  die  rather  than  conform. 

Charles,  embarrassed  by  his  wars  with  Spain  and 
Austria,  wished  to  raise  an  Irish  army,  and,  as  a  meas- 
ure of  conciliation,  promised  to  confirm  the  patents  of 
the  Connaught  proprietors,  which  his  father  had  threat- 
ened to  revoke,  with  a  view  to  a  Western  Plantation 
like  that  of  Ulster.  These  promises  seemed  to  satisfy 
the  proprietors,  but  the  Romanists,  taking  advantage 
of  the  king's  necessities,  proposed  to  raise  a  sufficient 
sum  to  sustain  the  Irish  army  on  condition  that  Charles 
would  abolish  the  penal  statutes  in  force  against  them. 
A  rumor  of  this  getting  abroad,  and  a  fear  lest  the 
Romish  faith  was  about  to  be  established,  a  protest, 
signed  by  two  archbishops  and  ten  bishops,  for  a  time 
retarded  the  project ;  but  the  necessities  of  the  king 
growing  more  urgent,  he  finally  agreed  to  grant  the 
''  Grraces"  (as  these  concessions  were  called)  asked  for, 
in  consideration  of  a  subsidy  of  £120,000,  to  be  paid 
in  three  years.  These  fifty-one  Graces,  though  par- 
ticularly welcome  to  the  Catholics,  conferred  important 


1629-32.]  THE   GRACES.  37 

privileges  on  all  classes  and  denominations.  A  few, 
bearing  on  the  reformation  of  the  Church  and  the  in- 
terests of  the  Scottish  colonists  in  Ulster,  may  with 
propriety  be  noticed. 

They  forbade  pluralities  in  the  case  of  incompetent 
ministers,  and  those  upon  whom  they  were  conferred 
were  to  continue  to  preach  and  also  to  have  a  sufficient 
number  of  well-qualified  curates.  Those  who  had 
large  churches  with  chapels  of  ease  attached,  were  to 
supply  these  chapels  with  preachers,  a  sufficient  main- 
tenance being  provided,  and  a  commission  was  ordered 
for  the  special  purpose  of  preventing  "  unlawful  ex- 
actions" by  the  clergy.  The  titles  of  the  estates  of  the 
Scottish  settlers  in  Ulster  were  confirmed  and  made 
secure  upon  doubling  their  rents  and  paying  a  fine  of 
thirty  pounds  for  every  thousand  acres  ;  and  a  com- 
mission was  directed  to  be  issued  for  finally  passing 
the  necessary  patents,  which  had  been  long  withheld, 
and  they  were  to  be  recognized  in  Ulster  as  "  free 
denizens  of  Ireland." 

That  these  measures  might  have  the  sanction  of  law, 
the  king  consented  to  the  calling  of  a  Parliament,  and 
the  3d  of  November  was  the  day  fixed  for  it  to  as- 
semble in  the  city  of  Dublin.  But  through  the  disin- 
genuousness  of  Charles,  a  defect  was  found  in  the 
writs,  and  they  were  declared  invalid.  No  new  writs 
were  issued,  nor  was  any  time  mentioned  when  a  legal 
meeting  might  take  place ;  and  so  the  Graces  rested  on 
the  king's  promise  alone,  but  a  promise  which  he  had 
made  in  the  most  public  and  solemn  manner. 

Eelying  upon  the  king's  word,  the  stipulated  pay- 
ments were  duly  made  ;  and  as  the  principal  part  was 
paid  by  papists,  the  laws  against  them  were  not  en- 


88  MONASTERIES  CONFISCATED.  [CH.nL 

forced,  notwithstandiDg  a  proclamation  of  Lord  Falk- 
land, just  at  the  close  of  his  administration,  in  1629,  for- 
bidding them  to  exercise  their  spiritual  functions.  The 
more  vigorous  measures  of  the  Lords  Justices  (Loftus 
and  Cock),  who  were  firm  and  conscientious  opponents 
of  the  Eomanists,  were  hindered  by  the  king ;  but  a 
riot  in  Dublin  led,  soon  after,  to  the  suppression  and 
confiscation  of  fifteen  monasteries  and  the  annexation 
of  a  new  popish  college  to  the  University.  St.  Pat- 
rick's Purgatory,  a  celebrated  station  in  Lough  Derg, 
was  again  suppressed  (as  in  1497),  and  by  an  order  of 
the  Lords  Justices  and  Privy  Council,  dated  the  13th 
of  September,  1632,  the  fraternity  were  dispersed, 
their  cells  demolished,  and  the  mysterious  cavern  in 
which  the  purgatorial  penances  of  the  pilgrims  were 
performed  was  exposed  to  the  light  of  day  ;  and  Went- 
worth,  although  requested  by  Queen  Henrietta,  de- 
clined to  restore  it  again. 

The  time  now  drew  nigh  when  the  last  portion  of 
the  voluntary  subsidy  became  due.  The  necessities  of 
the  State  continued  as  urgent  as  ever.  ISTone  of  the 
stipulated  Graces  had  been  as  yet  conferred.  The 
complaints  of  the  people  were  becoming  louder  and 
more  general,  and  the  difficulty,  so  perplexing  to 
Charles,  again  occurred,  of  supplying  his  wants  with- 
out either  summoning  a  Parliament  or  irrevocably 
granting  the  promised  concessions.  To  the  adoption 
of  either  of  these  alternatives  Charles  was  decidedly 
averse,  and  in  his  difficulty  he  had  recourse  to  Sir 
Thomas,  now  Lord  Viscount  Wentworth,  who  had 
lately  become  one  of  the  confidential  advisers  of  the 
crown.  He  had  been  appointed  Lord  Deputy  in  Janu- 
ary, 1632,  and  although  the  king  was  not  willing  to 


1633-34.]  SOME  OF  THE  GRACES  PASSED.  89 

spare  him  from   England  at  present,   yet  from  this 
time  he  assumed  the  management  of  affairs  in  Ire- 
land, and  the  English  Council  ordered  the  continued 
payment  of  the  subsidy  until  his  arrival.     But  this 
measure  not  meeting  the  approbation  of  the  Lords  Jus- 
tices, and  their  necessities  being  urgent,  they  recurred 
to  their  favorite  project  of  collecting  the  fines  from 
absentees  from  the  established  worship.     The  king  and 
"Wentworth  refused  to  accept  this  alternative,  but  or- 
dered an  additional  contribution  of  £20,000,  which 
the  people  submitted  to  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  the 
promised  Graces  when  the  deputy  should  arrive,  as  he 
did  in  July,  1633,  and  succeeded  in  continuing  the 
voluntary  contribution  for  another  year.     In  a  Parlia- 
ment held  July,  1634,  he  procured  an  extraordinary 
grant  of  £300,000,  but  still   evaded  or  refused  the 
promised  Graces.     But  in  the  third  session  of  this  Par- 
liament one  of  the  most  important  of  these  Graces  was 
passed  into  a  law^  namely,  that  the  Scottish  settlers 
should  be  made  free  denizens  of  Ireland.     This  natu- 
ralization law  extended  to  the  Scotch  who  were  born 
before  the  accession  of  James.     These  persons  had  been 
previously  regarded  by  the  common  law  as  foreigners, 
and  therefore  incapable  of  holding  property  in  Ireland. 
The  preamble  of  this  act  contains  a  memorable  testi- 
mony from  the  legislature  to  the  vtilue  of  the  Scottish 
colonists  in  promoting  the  peace  and  welfare  of  the 
kingdom.     The  king  is  assured  by  the  Parliament  that 
the  grievance  about  to  be  removed  was  "  a  sad  discour- 
agement, and  disheartening  to  many  of  your  said  sub- 
jects of  Scotland,  that  otherwise  would  have  planted 
themselves  here  for  the  further  civilizing,  strengthen- 
ing and  securing  this  your  highness'  said  realm  against 
rebels  at  home  and  all  foreign  invasion." 


40       WENTWOETH  ENCOURAGES   CEREMONIES.    [Ch.  III. 

The  attention  of  Wentwortli  was  not  confined  to 
civil  affairs.     Under  the  influence  of  Laud,  now  ele- 
vated to  the  see  of  Canterbury,  he  discouraged  the  ad- 
vances of  Puritanism,  and,  with  this  in  view,  he  pa- 
tronized the  Arminian  in  opposition  to  the  Calvinistic 
system,  then  universally  maintained  by  the  Puritans  in 
common  with  the  vast  majority  of  the  members  of  the 
Established  Church.     He  encouraged  the  introduction 
of  showy  and  superstitious  rites  into  divine  worship, 
and  every  innovation  brought  the  Protestant  service 
nearer  to  the  Eomish  ritual.     The  communion-table 
was  converted  into  an  altar,  railed  in,  and  placed  at 
the  east  end  of  the  church,  adorned  with  candlesticks 
and  crucifixes,  and  made  the  object  of  adoration.    Pic- 
tures, images,  and  lighted  tapers  were  introduced  into 
the  churches.     The  tutelary  protection  of  saints  and 
angels,  and  their  consequent  invocation,  were  publicly 
inculcated.     The  real  presence  of  Christ  in  the  com- 
munion, the  necessity  of  auricular  confession,  and  the 
efficacy  of  absolution,  were  openly  maintained.     While 
the  Sabbath  was  commanded  to  be  profaned  by  the  re- 
publication of  the   "  Book  of  Sports,"  exhorting  the 
people  to  amuse  themselves  Avith  certain  games  and 
recreations  on  the  Lord's  da}^ ;  and  holidays  and  fes- 
tivals were  revered  and  observed  as  days  of  especial 
sanctity.     In  a  word,  there  was  scared}^  an  article  of 
the  Church  of  Eome  which  v;as  not  sanctioned,  or,  as 
Lord  Falkland  in  one  of  his  speeches  in  Parliament 
said,  "  It  seemed  their  work  was  to  try  how  much   A 
a  papist  might  be  brought  in  without  popery." 

To  silence  the  opposition  so  generally  manifested 
against  these  innovations,  the  arm  of  s^Diritual  power 
was  vigorously  exercised.     Public  lecturers,  a  class  of 


1634.]  HIGH   COMMISSION   COURT.  41 

preachers  elected  and  supported  by  the  people,  and 
chaplains  supported  by  the  rich,  were  alike  prohibited, 
as  not  being  sufficiently  under  prelatical  control.  Af- 
ternoon sermons  and  catechetical  exercises  Avere  abol- 
ished, and  the  privilege  of  public  preaching  was  per- 
mitted to  only  a  few  approved  ministers.  Every  book 
not  in  accordance  with  the  prevalent  spirit  of  error  and 
intolerance  was  suppressed  or  carefully  expurgated, 
and  even  those  works  previously  reputed  most  sound 
and  pious  did  not  escape.  The  clergy  who  hesitated 
to  comply  with  the  arbitrary  commands  of  their  supe- 
riors were  summarily  suspended  or  deposed.  So  vio- 
lent was  the  rage  for  conformity,  that  even  the  French 
and  Dutch  Protestant  churches  in  London  were  com- 
pelled to  adopt  the  English  ritual  in  preference  to  that 
of  their  respective  national  churches,  which  tbey  had 
used  without  molestation  since  the  commencement  of 
the  Keformation.  And  lest  the  formalities  or  just  re- 
straints of  law  might  retard  this  career  of  audacious  in- 
novation, the  High  Commission  Court  furnished  a  sea- 
sonable and  appropriate  engine  by  which  the  designs 
of  the  dominant  party,  though  ever  so  illegal,  were  car- 
ried into  immediate  execution.  The  fines  imposed  on 
conscientious  Non-Conformists  by  this  unconstitutional 
tribunal  were  enormous,  and  the  punishments  awarded 
against  those  who  offered  the  slightest  opposition  to 
the  tyrannical  proceedings  of  Laud  and  his  faction, 
were  frequently  of  unparalleled  severity.  Such  was 
the  system  introduced  and  patronized  by  the  Arch- 
bishop in  England,  and  which  he  labored  to  extend 
successively  to  Ireland  and  Scotland.  The  chief  end, 
indeed,  of  the  life  and  exertions  of  this  "  Patriarch  of 
the  West,"  as  he  affected  to  caJI  himself,  was  to  estab- 


42  STATE  OF  THE  CHURCH  DEPLORABLE.     [Ch.  IIL 

lish  upon  the  most  intolerant  basis  a  complete  uni- 
formitj  in  government  and  worship  over  the  three 
kingdoms.  0 

The  state  of  tlie  Irish  Church  at  this  time  was  most 
deplorable,  exhibiting  the  same  indolence,  worldliness, 
and  inefficiency  as  in  the  early  stages  of  its  history. 
The  majority  of  the  prelates  sought  more  their  own 
interests  than  the  promotion  of  true  religion.  The 
cathedrals  and  churches  through  their  neglect  had  be- 
come dilapidated,  and  the  revenues  alienated  from  their 
successors  and  appropriated  to  the  aggrandizement  of 
their  own  families,  and  the  incomes  of  the  inferior 
clergy  were  reduced  to  the  lowest  point ;  "  and  as 
scandalous  livings  naturally  made  scandalous  minis- 
ters," the  clergy  of  the  Established  Church  were  gen- 
erally unlearned  and  ignorant,  loose  and  irregular  in 
their  lives  and  conversations,  negligent  of  their  cures, 
and  were  careless  of  observing  uniformity  and  decency 
in  divine  worship. 

The  ecclesiastical  courts  were  oppressive  and  profli- 
gate in  their  proceedings,  bribery  and  simony  were 
openly  practised,  the  primitive  discipline  of  the  Church 
was  entirely  suppressed,  and  all  attempts  to  revive 
even  the  little  power  which  the  English  Church  pos- 
sessed was  violently  opposed.  The  consequences  of 
this  neglect  and  mismanagement  were  too  apparent. 
The  reformed  faith  had  indeed  been  spreading,  but  this 
result  was  rather  the  effect  of  colonization  than  of 
conversion. 

While  the  reformed  faith  was  thus  retarded,  the 
Boman  Catholic  Church  maintained  an  undisturbed 
ascendency  over  the  minds  and  affections  of  the  peo- 
ple, its  worship  and  ceremonials  were  openly  observed. 


1630.]  USSHER,   KNOX  AND   ECHLIN.  43 

The  hierarcTij,  thougli  almost  extinct  in  the  sister 
Kingdom,  was  complete  in  all  its  parts ;  every  see  had 
its  prelate,  and  every  parish  its  priest.  Archbishops 
and  bishops  exercised  almost  without  control  their 
ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  and  enjoyed  ample  revenues. 
Chapels  were  built,  and  the  churches  of  non-resident 
Protestant  ministers  were  occupied  by  priests  speaking 
the  language  of  the  people  ;  and  sharing  in  their  perils 
and  discouragements  they  maintained  their  influ- 
ence unimpaired. 

In  Ulster,  the  condition  of  affairs  was  prosperous. 
Here  the  Protestant  ministers  were  zealous  and  faith- 
ful, the  people  better  instructed,  religious  worship  more 
regularly  maintained,  and  the  truth  consequently 
advancing  with  surer  and  more  rapid  steps.  This  su- 
periority arose  from  the  character  of  the  colonists  by 
whom  it  was  peopled,  and  the  diligence  of  the  pastors 
wlio  came  with  them.  Their  bishops  were  all  doc- 
trinal Puritans,  at  the  head  of  whom  was  Ussher, 
learned,  tolerant,  and  disinterested,  the  most  distin- 
guished ornament  of  his  church  and  nation,  and,  as 
described  by  Livingston,  "  a  godly  man,  although  a 
bishop."  Downham  of  Derry,  Knox  of  Eaphoe,  and 
Echlin  of  Down,  and  Connor,  nobly  supported  Ussher 
in  his  work.  To  these  was  added  in  1629,  Bedell, 
provost  of  Dublin  College,  to  the  joint  see  of  Kilmore 
and  Ardagh  :  a  most  upright  and  amiable  man,  labor- 
ious and  strict  in  his  public  duties,  a  faithful  and  con- 
stant preacher,  the  decided  enemy  of  every  ecclesiasti- 
cal abuse,  and  the  generous  patron  of  every  diligent 
and  conscientious  minister. 

Bedell,  on  entering  upon  his  diocese,  made  a  state- 
ment to  Laud  in  April,  1630,  of  its  deplorable  condition. 


44  BEDELL.      HIS  WORK   OF  REFORM.  [Ch.  IIL 

The  Cathedral  at  Ardagh,  one  of  the  most  ancient  in 
Ireland,  together  with  the  Bishop's  house  were  in  ruins ; 
the  church  at  Kilmore  in  almost  as  bad  a  condition ; 
the  parish  churches  unroofed  and  unrepaired  ;  the  peo- 
ple, except  about  a  tenth,  who  were  English  planters, 
were  obstinate  recusants ;  the  Popish  clergy  were 
more  numerous  than  the  Protestant^  and  enjoying  full 
ecclesiastical  authority.  The  Popish  primate  lived 
within  two  miles  of  his  house,  and  the  bishop  in  an- 
other part  of  his  diocese,  not  far  off.  There  was  a 
parish  priest  in  every  parish,  and  in  some  two  and  three : 
unfrocked  friars  impoverished  the  people  with  their 
importunate  begging.  There  were  but  seven  or  eight 
Protestant  ministers  in  each  of  his  dioceses,  and  they 
not  able  to  instruct  the  people,  being  ignorant  of  their 
language. 

Here  was  a  melancholy  picture  for  such  a  man,  but 
he  commenced  vigorously  his  work  of  reform  as  soon 
as  he  had  entered  upon  his  diocese,  by  first  resigning 
the  see  of  Ardagh,  and  then  persuading  the  majority  of 
his  clergy  to  relinquish  their  pluralities.  He  reformed 
the  ecclesiastical  courts,  and,  in  a  synod  of  his  clergy, 
l^assed  some  canons  for  the  regulation  of  his  diocese. 
He  enforced  strict  residences,  and  inspected  the  labors 
of  his  ministers.  But  his  crowning  work  was  his 
efforts  in  behalf  of  the  native  Irish.  While  Provost 
of  Trinity  College,  he  had  established  an  '^  Irish  Lec- 
ture "  for  preparing  young  men  to  preach  in  Irish 
among  the  natives,  and  when  he  took  possession  of  his 
bishopric  he  entered  with  ardor  upon  this  work,  begin- 
ning, although  in  his  sixtieth  year,  the  study  of  the 
language,  and  giving  one  part  of  each  Sabbath  in  his 
Cathedral  to  preaching  in  the  native   tongue.     The 


1630]  THE  TYNDAL   OF  IRELAND.  45 

New  Testament  and  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  had 
already  been  translated  into  their  vernacular,  but  he 
added  to  them  a  catechetical  summary  of  Christian 
doctrine,  with  forms  of  prayer  and  scriptural  extracts, 
printed  in  English  and  Irish,  which  he  scattered 
through  his  diocese.  Through  his  influence,  schools 
were  established  in  every  parish,  and  he  resolved  to 
procure  the  translation  of  the  whole  Bible  into  Irish, 
and  to  publish  it  at  his  own  expense.  He  has  been 
well  styled,  "  the  Tyndal  of  Ireland." 

Bedell  was  too  much  of  a  Puritan  in  spirit  to  be 
popular  with  the  churchmen  around  him.  He  disliked 
the  use  of  his  Episcopal  vestments,  and  was  opposed 
to  instrumental  music  in  christian  worship.  He  preach- 
ed twice  every  Sabbath,  and  catechised  in  the  after- 
noon. He  read  the  Psalms  in  divine  service,  like 
other  portions  of  the  word  of  God,  without  responses ; 
and  though  punctual  in  his  use  of  the  Prayer-book  in 
the  church,  he  never  used  it  in  domestic  worship. 
Like  Ussher  he  maintained  the  identity  of  bishop  and 
presbyter,  and  ordained  no  individual  to  the  min- 
istry without  the  consent  of  his  clergy,  and  he  deemed 
it  irregular  to  exercise  his  episcopal  function  beyond 
his  own  diocese. 

The  vigor  with  which  Bedell  carried  on  his  work 
of  reformation  created  many  enemies.  His  chancellor 
sued  him  for  sitting  in  the  courts  held  in  his  own 
name  and  enforcing  the  ancient  discipline  of  the  church, 
and  even  the  affections  of  Ussher  were  for  a  time  alien- 
ated, who,  as  Burnet  alleges,  "  had  too  gentle  a  soul  to 
manage  that  rough  work  of  reforming  abuses,  and 
therefore  he  left  things  as  he  found  them  ;"  and  soon 
after  he  apprized  Bedell  that  "  the  tide  went  so  high 


46  LAUD.  [Ch.  IU. 

against  Mm  in  regard  to  pluralities  and  non-residence, 
that  lie  could  assist  him  no  more."  To  this  disheart- 
ening intimation  the  latter  nobly  replied  "  that  he  was 
resolved,  by  the  help  of  Grod,  to  try  if  he  could  stand 
by  himself;"  but  this  he  found  to  be  impossible,  being 
thwarted  by  the  civil  authorities  and  his  spiritual  su- 
periors. The  clergyman  whom  he  engaged  to  trans- 
late the  Bible  into  Irish  was  deposed  and  thrown  into 
prison,  and  thus  this  important  work  was  suspended 
and  not  resumed  for  fifty  years. 

This  was  the  condition  of  the  Church  of  Ireland 
when  Laud  turned  his  attention  to  that  kingdom. 
Finding  the  cathedrals  and  churches  in  ruins,  the 
clergy  poor,  ignorant,  and  little  respected,  with  no  re- 
gard for  their  superiors ;  and  even  where  there  w^ere 
some  more  learned  than  the  others,  he  w^as  mortified 
to  find  them  Calvinistic  in  doctrine  and  Puritanical 
in  principle.  He  therefore  resolved  to  remodel  the 
Church.  His  first  arbitrary  step  was  in  reference  to 
Downham's  "Treatise  on  the  Covenant  of  Grace," 
which  had  been  written  against  the  Arminians  in  1631. 
Not  content  with  suppressing  this  work  in  England, 
he  wrote  to  Ussher,  ordering  him  to  call  in  the  copies 
which  had  been  circulated  in  Ireland,  and  in  future  to 
allow  nothing  to  be  published  which  came  in  conflict 
with  the  Arminian  view.  Ussher  obeyed  the  com- 
mand, and  replied  in  a  servile  letter,  derogatory  to  his 
character  for  candor  and  integrity. 

The  designs  of  Laud  were  now  effectually  carried 
out  by  Wentworth,  whom  he  had  induced  Charles  to 
appoint  as  Deputy.  Wentworth  entered  upon  his 
work  with  great  zeal,  rebuilding  and  repairing  the 
places  of  worship,  restoring  the  temporalities,  inducing 


1634]  BRAMHALL. 


47 


the  nobility  to  resign  their  impropriations,  and  by  an 
act  of  Parliament  enriching  the  clergy.     In  order  to 
counteract  the  influence  of  the  Calvinistic  and  Puritan- 
ical clergy,   he  brought  out  with  him,  as  his  private 
chaplain^  John  Bramhall,  a  learned  man,  but  of  the 
same  temper  as  Laud,  whom  Cromwell  afterward  styled 
''  the  Canterbury  of  Ireland."     This  man  proved  an 
efficient  helper  in  carrying  out  the  views  of  his  patron. 
In  his  report  to  Laud  he  gives  a  very  melancholy  pic- 
ture of  the  state  of  the  Irish  Church.     In  Dublin  he 
found  one  church  turned  into  a  stable  for  the  use  of 
the  Lord  Deputy  ;  a  second,  a  nobleman's  dwelling- 
house  ;  the  choir  of  a  third  a  tennis-court,  with  the 
vicar  acting  as  keeper.     In  Christ  Church,  the  princi- 
pal church  in  Ireland,  the  vaults  were  used  as  tippling 
rooms  for  beer,  wine,  and  tobacco.     He  reports  the  in- 
ferior clergy  below  contempt ;  pluralities,  compositions, 
and  non-residences  innumerable,  so  that  one  bishop 
held  twenty-three  benefices  with  cure,  and  seldom  any 
suitor  petitioned  for  less  than  three  vicarages  at  a  time. 
The  zeal  of  Bramhall  did  not  remain  long  imre- 
warded,  for  in  163-i  he  was  made  Bishop  of  Derry  in 
place  of  Downham,  as  in  the  previous  year  John  Les- 
lie (Bishop  of  Orkney)  had  received  the  see  of  Kaphoe, 
made  vacant  by  the  death  of  Knox.     All  the  ap- 
pointments henceforth  were  men  of  Arminian  and  in- 
tolerant principles. 

The  University  at  Dublin  was  now  remodeled. 
Hitherto  the  provosts  had  been  decided  Puritans,  the 
last  of  whom  was  Dr.  Robert  Ussher,  a  relative  of  the 
archbishop.  A  change,  therefore,  became  necessary  as 
a  part  of  Wentworth's  plan  of  reformation,  and  Us- 
sher was  appointed  Archdeacon  of  Meath  and  soon 


48    BRAMHALL  REJECTS  USSHER'S  CONFESSION.    [Gh.  IIL 

afterward  Bishop  of  Kildare,  and  Chappell,  Dean  of 
Casliel  (quandom  tutor  of  Milton  at  Cambridge),  a 
violent  Arminian,  was  appointed  in  his  place,  but  it 
soon  became  necessary  to  remove  him  on  account  of 
his  urging  conformity  with  so  much  intolerance.  Laud, 
soon  after  appointed  Chancellor,  finding  the  statutes  of 
the  college  too  favorable  to  religious  liberty,  revised 
and  altered  them,  which  were  soon  after  confirmed 
b}^  royal  authority. 

But  the  great  object  of  anxiety,  the  assimilation  of 
the  churches  of  England  and  Ireland,  yet  remained  to  be 
accomplished,  and  in  order  to  this,  the  Calvinistic  confes- 
sion compiled  by  Ussher  must  be  abolished.  Wentworth 
undertook  this  delicate  task,  by  first  consulting  Ussher 
and  stating  to  hitn  that  the  Irish  articles  should  not  be 
disturbed  in  the  convocation,  which  was  ordered,  but 
for  the  sake  of  union  the  thirty-nine  articles  of  the 
Church  of  England  should  be  received  and  recognized. 
To  this  plan  Ussher  made  no  objection,  but  afterwards, 
without  his  assent,  Bramhall  maintained  that  the  in- 
tended procedure  abrogated  the  Irish  articles  and 
established  the  English  in  their  forced  interpretation 
of  Armenianism  as  the  sole  standard  of  the  Church's 
faith. 

The  convocation  of  clergy  met  in  November  1634, 
at  the  same  time  with  the  second  session  of  the  Parlia- 
ment, and  to  the  surprise  of  Wentworth,  who  had  not 
been  watching  the  proceedings,  through  a  committee 
introduced  into  a  canon  a  recognition  of  the  Irish  arti- 
cles and  enjoined  them  to  be  restored  under  pain  of 
excommunication . 

This  being  in  direct  opposition  to  Wentworth 's  fa- 
vorite plan,  he  in  the  most  violent  and  insulting  manner 


1634.]  CONVOCATIOX   OF   CLERGY.  49 

reversed  their  deliberations,  and  in  a  letter  to  Laud 
exulted  over  his  victory,  charging  them  with  Brownism. 
The  canon  which  Ussher  prepared  as  a  compromise  was 
put  aside,  and  a  substitute  of  Wentworth's  passed,  being 
supported  by  Bramhall  and  Leslie,  there  being  but  one 
dissenting  voice,  perhaps  Hamilton,  minister  of  Bally- 
walter,  who  was  a  member  of  this  convocation.  Thus 
was  the  constitution  of  the  Irish  Episcopal  Church,  as 
it  now  stands  in  doctrine  and  in  discipline  finally  set- 
tled. The  thirty-nine  articles  represented  the  doctrine, 
and  the  discipline  was  regulated  by  a  body  of  canons, 
one  hundred  in  u  amber.  They  were  to  be  subscribed 
by  all  and  read  publicly  in  the  churches  once  a  year. 
It  was  desired  by  Bramhall  that  the  whole  body  of 
canons  made  in  1603  might  be  adopted,  but  Ussher 
being  afraid  to  bow  at  the  name  of  Jesus,  and  opposed 
to  certain  other  rites,  the  canons  requiring  them  were 
not  included.  These  canons  were  published  in  Dublin 
in  1635,  producing  a  panic,  and  a  fear  lest  the  town 
should  rise,  plainly  evincing  the  prevalence  of  non- 
conformity in  the  metropolis.  In  this  convocation  Be- 
dell brought  forward  his  plan  for  instructing  the  Irish 
in  their  own  tongue,  which  was  advocated  by  Ussher 
and  others,  but  was  opposed  by  Bramhall,  who  was 
averse  to  the  education  of  the  people.  Bedell  so  far 
succeded  that  it  was  provided  in  the  ninety-fourth 
canon  that  '  where  most  of  the  people  are  Irish,  the 
churchwarden  shall  provide  a  Bible  and  two  com- 
mon Prayer  books  in  the  Irish  tongue  ;  and  where 
the  minister  is  an  Englishman,  such  a  clerk  may  be 
chosen  as  shall  be  able  to  read  the  service  in  Irish." 

Wentworth   had   now  uncontrolled   sway  both    in 
church  and  state ;    in  a  letter  to  the  King,  already 


60  POWER  OF  THE   COMMISSION  COURT.      [Cn.  III. 

alluded  to,  he  used  this  remarkable  expression  :  "  So ! 
as  now  I  can  say,  the  King  is  as  absolute  here  as  any 
prince  in  the  whole  world  can  be,  and  may  be  still,  if 
it  be  not  spoiled  on  that  side."  Happily  for  the  cause 
of  liberty  the  despotic  system  was  spoiled  in  England, 
Wentworth,  Laud  and  Charles  being  ignominiously 
beheaded.  T!ie  Hiofb  Commission  Court  which  Went- 
worth  had  erected  in  Dublin,  brought  the  freedom  and 
property  of  every  individual  under  its  control.  It 
was  erected  for  the  purpose  of  maintaining  the  clergy, 
promoting  conformity,  and  to  raise,  perhaps,  a  good 
revenue  to  the  crown.  To  all  these  purj^oses  it  was 
in  due  time  applied,  and  the  Presbyterians  of  Ulster 
soon  felt  the  weight  of  its  fomidable  power. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

1631-1638. 

The  interview  which  Blair  had  with  Wentworth  in 
Dublin,  as  already  noticed,  indicated  too  plainly  the 
course  which  he  intended  to  pursue  toward  the  Pres- 
byterians of  Ulster.  Instead  of  acting  on  the  sugges- 
tion in  the  king's  letter,  he  reproached  the  four  min- 
isters, unjustly  suspended  by  Echlin,  for  their  non- 
conformity, reviled  the  Church  of  Scotland  from  which 
they  sprung,  and  refused  them  a  fair  trial. 

Although  repulsed,  they  still  hoped  that  the  govern- 
ment would  become  more  tolerant  and  their  suspended 
brethren  restored.  In  this  they  were  disappointed,  but 
several  circumstances  in  the  meantime  led  to  a  tempo- 
rary relaxation  of  their  sentence.  Wentworth,  by 
pressing  the  fulfillm.ent  of  the  covenants  of  the  planta- 
tion under  which  the  northern  colonists  held  their 
lands,  putting  them  to  great  expense  and  threatening 
the  forfeiture  of  their  estates,  raised  quite  a  ferment  in 
Ulster  among  the  landed  proprietors,  and  to  remove 
this  irritation  and  for  fear  that  some  of  the  discoDtented 
nobles  might  cause  trouble  in  the  Parliament  about  to 
meet,  on  the  suggestion  of  Lord  Castlestewart,  a  zeal- 
ous patron  of  the  northern  Presbyterians,  he  consented 
to  restore  the  ministers  for  a  limited  period,  and  wrote 
a  letter  in  May,  1634,  to  Bishop  Echlin,  commanding 
him  to  withdraw  the  sentence  of  suspension  for  six 
months,  which  was  promptly  obeyed,  and  Blair,  Liv- 


52  DEATH  OF  WELSH.  [Ch.  IT. 

ingstoD,  Dunbar  and  Welsh  were  restored  to  tLe  exer- 
cise of  their  ministry.  This  was  unexpected  news  to 
these  brethren,  and  in  a  letter  Blair  describes  his  feel- 
ings as  those  of  astonishment,  admiration,  and  thanks- 
giving, and  in  his  first  lecture  at  Bangor  he  preached 
from  Isa.  xxxviii.  15,  "  What  shall  I  say  ?  He  hath 
both  spoken  unto  me,  and  Himself  hath  done  it," 
when  the  people  were  melted  down  into  tears  of  joy — 
and  at  their  monthly  meeting  "  the  joy  of  the  people  can 
hardly  be  expressed.  The  liberty  prolonged  to  us  was, 
through  God's  blessing,  vv^ell  improved  by  all,  and  the 
people  made  more  progress  in  the  way  of  God  than 
ever  before." 

This  general  satisfaction  was  clouded  by  the  death 
of  Mr.  Welsh  of  Templepatrick,  who  expired  about  a 
month  after  his  restoration,  upon  the  23d  of  June, 
1634,  occasioned  by  a  cold,  resulting  in  consump- 
tion, contracted  while  preaching  in  an  exposed  place. 
He  was  attended  upon  his  death-bed  by  Livingston 
and  Blair.  Livingston  writes,  "  He  had  many  gra- 
cious and  edifying  discourses,  as  also  some  wrest- 
lings." And  Mr.  Blair  said  to  the  companj^  of  Chris- 
tians gathered  around  his  bed,  "  See  how  Satan  knib- 
bles  at  his  heel  when  he  is  going  over  the  threshold  of 
heaven."  He  left  one  son,  John  Welsh,  who  rose  to 
eminence  in  the  Scottish  Church  as  minister  of  Iron- 
gray,  and  after  the  Restoration  nobly  suffered  persecu- 
tion for  the  truth's  sake. 

The  death  of  Welsh  was  soon  followed  by  that  of 
Stewart  of  Donegore.  Standing  by  the  grave  of  Welsh, 
he  said,  "Who  knows  who  will  be  next  ?"  And  no 
one  answering,  he  said,  "  I  know,"  and  turning  away 
went  to  his  chuixih  in  Donegore,  where,  bolting  him- 


1634]  PROPrrETIC   LANGUAGE   OF   STEWART.  53 

self  in,  he  remained  two  hours,  and  then  going  to  his 
house  he  fell  asleep  upon  his  bed,  from  which  he  never 
arose  again  in  health,  but  was  buried  a  month  from 
that  day. 

Flemming,  in  his  "  Fulfilling  of  the  Scriptures,"  has 
preserved  an  account  of  the  last  hours  of  this  holy 
man  which  is  worthy  a  notice  in  this  historj'.  On  the 
return  of  his  wife  from  Welsh's  funeral,  she  inquired 
what  he  had  been  doing,  to  whom  he  said,  "  I  have 
been  taking  my  leave  of  the  church  of  Donegore,  and 
I  was  there  taking  timber  and  stones  to  witness  that  in 
my  short  time  I  had  labored  to  be  faithful,  and  that, 
according  to  my  light,  I  have  revealed  the  whole  coun- 
sel of  God  to  the  people."  After  a  fortnight's  lying, 
Mr.  Ridge  came  to  visit  him  and  said,  "  I  hope,  sir, 
you  do  not  rue  that  you  have  been  faithful."  He  an- 
swered, "  I  rue  nothing  but  that  I  was  too  long  in 
beginning,  (meaning  that  he  had  resisted  for  several 
years  a  pressing  call  to  the  ministry),  and  I  will  tell 
you  a  strange  thing  which  hath  helped  me  to  be  faith- 
ful these  last  seven  years ;  there  hath  not  one  day 
passed  me  without  thoughts  of  death  and  renewed  sub- 
mission to  it ;  yea  this  made  me  neglect  my  body, 
which  should  have  served  the  Lord,  as  if  it  had  been 
the  mire  in  the  street,  which  now  troubleth  me." 

The  night  he  died,  several  Christian  friends  being 
with  him,  he  was  for  a  long  time  silent,  which  ended 
in  heavy  groanings.  At  last  one  desired  to  know  what 
troubled  him.  At  first  he  refused  to  tell,  but  being 
urged,  he  said,  "  I  shall  tell  you ;  my  hair  stands  to 
behold  what  I  see  coming  on  these  lands.  The  bloody 
wars  of  Germany  shall  never  be  balanced  with  the 
wars  of  these  three  kingdoms.     The  dead  bodies  of 


54  THE  MINISTERS  AGAIN  IN  TROUBLE.      [Ch.  IV 

many  thousands  who  this  day  despise  the  glorious  gos- 
pel shall  lie  upon  the  earth  as  dung  unbaried."     And 
in  this  prophetic  strain  he  continued  for  some  time. 
He  was  buried  beside  his  church  in  Donegore,  where 
an  humble  tombstone  marks  his  grave.     For  two  cen- 
turies the  descendants  of  this  faithfal  man  have  been 
among  the  most  eminent  ministers  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Ireland.     These  godly  men  were  hardly  in 
their  graves  when   Went  worth,  at  the  instigation  of 
Bramhall,  wrote  a  letter  to  Bishop  Echlin,  notwith- 
standing the  entreaties  of  Lord  Castlestewart  to  extend 
their  license  for  six  months,  urging  him  to  renew  his 
suspension  of  Blair  and  Dunbar.     Accordingly  they 
were  cited  before  the  bishop  for  the  third  time  and  for- 
mally deposed.     On  this  occasion  a  remarkable  con- 
ference took  place  between  Blair  and  Echlin,  a  minute 
of  which  has  been  preserved,  which  strikingly  illus- 
trates the  dastardly  spirit  of  the  persecutor  and  the 
unshrinking  honesty  and  intrepidity  of  the  Confessor. 
On  the  I7th  of  July  following  this  memorable  con- 
ference Echlin  died  in  distress  of  mind.     Blair  relates 
that  shortly  before  he  died,  when  the  physician,  Dr. 
Maxwell,  came  to  see  him  and  inquired  what  ailed  him, 
he  was  long  silent,  and  then  with  great  difficulty  uttered 
these  words.     ^'It  is  my   conscience,  man,"    to  which 
the  doctor  replied,  "  I  have  no  cure  for  that."     This 
report  was  made  by  the  doctor  to  Lord  Yiscount  of 
Airds,    whose   wife  was   the   Lady   Jane  Alexander, 
daughter  of  the  first  Earl  of  Sterling.     Echlin   was 
succeeded  by  Henry  Leslie,  dean  of  Down,  a  man  of 
some  erudition,  but  a  violent  and  bigoted  Episcopa- 
lian.     He  was  consecrated  in  Dublin  on   the  4th  of 
October  1635,  and  immediately  commenced  his  work 


1635.]  PLAN   OF   EMIGRATION   TO   AMERICA.  55 

of  persecution.  The  first  person  on  wliom  he  exer- 
cised his  newlj  acquired  power  was  Livingston,  who, 
for  some  reason  now  unknown,  had  not  been  included 
in  the  sentence  of  deposition.  He  was  deposed  by 
Leslie  and  excommunicated  bjMelvin,  the  minister  of 
Downpatrick,  in  the  month  of  Kovember. 

Blair  and  Livingston  continued  to  preach  in  private 
liouses  during  the  winter,  but  finding  no  relaxation  in 
the  severity  of  the  prelatical  party,  the  Presbyterians 
of  Ulster  renewed  the  plan  of  emigrating  to  New  Eng- 
land, and  with  this  object  in  view  |;hey  commenced 
building  a  ship  called  the  E.aglewing,  of  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  tons  burden,  at  Groomsport,  on  Belfast 
Lough,  intending  to  embark  in  the  spring  of  the  fol- 
lowing year,  but  on  account  of  the  preparation  neces  • 
sary  for  such  a  voyage  their  departure  was  retarded 
until  late  in  the  season.  In  the  meantime  the  severity 
of  Bishop  Leslie  caused  the  number  of  emigrants  to 
increase;  at  his  visitation  at  Lisburn  in  July,  accord- 
ing to  the  command  of  the  convocation,  he  called  upon 
his  clergy  to  subscribe  to  the  canons.  Five  of  the 
ministers  refused,  viz :  Brice  of  Broadisland,  Ridge 
of  Antrim,  Cunningham  of  Holy  wood,  Colvert  of  Old- 
stone,  and  Hamilton  of  Bally  waiter.  The  Bishop,  not 
wishing  to  lose  these  faithful  men,  held  a  private  con- 
ference with  them,  hoping  to  induce  them  to  conform 
to  the  canons,  but  failing  in  this,  at  the  suggestion 
of  Bishop  Bramhall,  he  summoned  his  clergy  to  meet 
at  Belfast  on  the  10th  of  August,  and  opened  the  vis- 
itation by  preaching  from  the  ominous  text — "  But  if 
he  neglect  to  hear  the  church,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as 
an  heathen  man  and  a  publican."  Matt,  xviii.  17. 
Li  this  discourse  he  maintained  that  by  "the  church" 


66  Leslie's  sermon.  [Ch.  tv. 

is  not  meant  the  multitude  of  believers,  nor  the  Jewish 
court  of  elders,  nor  the  civil  magistrate,  nor  the  Pope, 
nor  a  general  council,  but  the  prelates  ;  he  showed  that 
the  church  had  power  to  keep  and  declare  the  sacred 
oracles,  to  ordain  ministers,  to  decide  controversies,  to 
enact  ceremonies,  and  to  censure  offenders,  and  it  is 
difS.cult  to  believe  that  it  is  not  a  Jesuit  Romanist 
pleading  for  the  authority  of  the  Papal  church.  He 
uses  the  following  language,  referring  to  the  Non-Con- 
forming minister  :  "  He  that  will  take  upon  him  the 
office  of  a  minister,  not  being  called  by  the  church, 
(meaning  of  course  the  prelates,)  is  an  intruder  and  a 
thief  that  cometh  not  in  by  the  doore  but  climbeth  up 
another  way, — what  will  you  say  to  some  Dominees 
heere  amongst  you,  who,  having  no  ordination  to  our 
calling,  have  taken  upon  them  to  preach — and  preach. 
I  know  not  what,  even  the  foolish  vision  of  their  owne 
heart.  As  they  runne  when  none  hath  sent  them,  and 
runne  very  swiftlj^,  because,  like  Ahimaaz,  they  runne 
by  the  way  of  the  plaine,  so  like  Ahimaaz,  w^hen  they 
are  come,  they  have  no  tydings  to  tell  but  doleful  news. 
They  think  by  their  puff  of  preaching  to  blowe  down 
the  goodly  orders  of  our  church,  as  the  walls  of  Jericho 
were  beaten  downe  with  sheepe's  homes.  Grood  Grod  ! 
is  not  this  the  sinne  of  Uzziah,  who  intruded  himselfe 
into  the  office  of  the  priesthood  ?  And  was  there 
ever  the  like  heard  amongst  Christians,  except  the 
Anabaptists,  whom  some  amongst  3^ou  have  matcht 
in  all  manner  of  disordered  confusion." 

The  Presbyterians  had  objected  to  the  ceremony  of 
kneeling  at  the  Lord's  Supper  as  a  relic  of  popery,  and 
in  this  sermon  the  Bishop  at  great  length  attempts  to 
prove  that  Christ  did  not  sit  at  the  communion,  and 


1636.J  POSTURE   AT   THE   LORD'S  TABLE.  67 

that  if  he  did,  the  disciples  were  not  bound  to  adopt 
that  posture.  The  Presbyterian?,  on  the  contrary, 
maintained  the  Scriptural  obligation  of  using  a  ''table- 
gesture"  in  the  observance  of  the  ordinance.  The 
Bishop  answers  that  if  they  adopted  the  gesture  they 
must,  to  be  consistent,  adopt  other  peculiarities  of  a 
common  meal  ;  asks  them  why  they  do  not  receive  the 
sacrament  in  their  dining-rooms  instead  of  the  church 
— why  they  do  not  salute  one  another — why  they  do 
not  use  dishes,  napkins,  knives  and  forks  as  well  as 
stools — why  they  do  not  eat  a  full  meal,  drink  more 
than  once,  and  pledge  one  another — why  they  do  not 
converse  together  and  keep  on  their  hats  as  at  other 
feasts  (which  the  Independent  ministers  about  ten 
years  afterward  did  insist  upon).  He  complains,  also, 
of  the  female  influence  in  the  church,  and  declares, 
"  Surely  as  the  Lord  taxeth  the  angel  of  the  church  of 
Thyatira  for  suffering  the  woman  Jezabel  to  teach  and 
deceive  Grod's  servants,  so  may  he  rejDrove  the  gover- 
nors of  our  church  for  suffering  this  feminine  heresie 
so  long,  they  of  that  sexe  being  the  greatest  zealots 
and  chiefe  abbettors  of  the  sect,  by  whom  many  simple 
people  are  deceived  and  led  from  the  wholesome  pas- 
tures of  the  Church  to  wander  in  the  precipices  of 
schisme." 

Leslie  having  concluded  his  discourse,  the  five  Non- 
Conforming  ministers  were  called  forward ;  and  the 
Bishop,  complaining  that  he  had  been  misrepresented 
in  a  former  private  conference  with  them,  proposed  to 
debate  the  matter  publicly  on  the  next  day,  which 
was  at  once  accepted,  and  Hamilton  was  appointed  to 
conduct  it  in  their  name.     It  was  accordingly  begun 

before  a  large  assembly  of  nobility  and  gentry  and 

3* 


58  SAIL  FOR  AMERICA.  [Ch.  lY. 

clergy  of  the  diocese.  It  was  conducted  in  the  form 
of  syllogistic  reasoning,  in  wbicli  Hamilton  displayed 
great  readiness  and  acuteness,  and  the  bisbop  more 
moderation  than  conld  have  been  expected  from  bis 
sermon  ;  but,  ns  it  too  often  happens  in  public  debates, 
the  controversy  merged  into  the  discussion  of  some  of 
the  less  important  points  of  difference.  The  discus- 
sion was  interrupted  by  Bramhall  on  account  of  the 
liberty  allowed  the  minister,  and  Leslie  adjourned  it 
until  the  next  day  ;  but  at  the  suggestion  of  the  Bishop 
of  Derry  it  was  not  resumed,  but  at  the  time  appointed, 
the  brethren  refusing  to  subscribe  to  the  canons,  re- 
ceived their  sentence  of  deposition. 

These  severe  proceedings  hastened  the  intended  voy- 
age to  New  England,  and  in  the  midst  of  their  prepa- 
rations Brice  of  Broadisland,  one  of  the  deposed  min- 
isters, departed  this  life.  The  number  proposing  to 
sail  was  one  hundred  and  forty,  including  Blair,  Liv- 
ingston, Hamilton,  John  McClelland  (afterward  minis- 
ter in  Scotland),  John  Stuart,  Captain  Andrew  Agnew, 
Charles  Campbell,  John  Sumervil,  Hugh  Brown  and 
Andrew  Brown,  the  deaf-mute  already  mentioned. 
The}^  had  many  hindrances,  but  on  the  9th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1636,  they  sailed  from  Loch-Fergus,  but  were 
detained  by  contrary  winds  in  Loch-Kyan,  in  Scotland, 
where  they  grounded  the  ship  for  the  purpose  of  dis- 
covering a  leak,  but  were  soon  at  sea  again,  and  had  a 
fair  wind  until  reaching  about  half  way  between  Ire- 
land and  Newfoundland,  when,  meeting  with  a  severe 
storm  from  the  north-west,  they  were  on  the  point  of 
foundering,  and  the  ship  being  so  much  injured  as  to 
make  it  perilous  to  proceed,  after  praj-er  and  much 
anxious  consultation  they  determined  to  return,  and 


1636]  LIVINGSTON'S   ACCOUNT.  59 

reacbecl  Loch-Fergns  on  the  3cl  of  November.  Mr. 
Livingston,  from  whom  this  account  of  the  voyage  is 
derived,  in  concluding  says,  "  During  all  this  time, 
amidst  such  fears  and  dangers,  the  most  part  of  the 
[.assengers  were  very  cheerful  and  confident ;  yea, 
some  in  prayer  had  expressed,  such  hopes,  that  rather 
than  the  Lord  would  suffer  such  a  company  in  such 
sort  to  perish,  if  the  ship  should  break  he  would  put 
wino-s  to  our  shoulders  and  carrv  us  safe  ashore.  I 
never  in  my  days  found  the  days  so  short  as  all  that 
time,  although  I  slept  some  nights  not  above  two 
hours  and  some  none  at  all ;  but  stood  most  part  in 
the  gallery  astern  the  great  cabin,  where  Mr.  Blair  and 
I  and  our  families  la}- .  For  in  the  morning,  by  the 
time  that  everj^  one  had  been  some  while  alone,  and 
then  at  pra3^er  in  their  several  societies,  and  then  at 
public  prayer  in  the  ship,  it  was  time  to  go  to  dinner ; 
and  after  that  we  would  visit  our  friends  in  the  gun- 
ner-room, or  those  between  the  decks,  or  any  that  were, 
sick,  and  then  jDublic  praj^er  would  come,  and  after 
that  supper  and  family  exercises.  Mr.  Blair  was  much 
of  the  time  sickly,  and  lay  in  time  of  storm.  I  was 
sometimes  sick,  and  then  my  brother,  Mr.  M'Clelland, 
only  performed  duty  in  the  ship.  Severtil  of  those 
between  the  decks,  being  throng,  were  sickly.  An 
aged  person  and  one  child  died  and  were  buried  in  the 
sea.  One  \voman,  the  wife  of  Michael  Col  vert  of  Kil- 
inchy  parish,  brought  forth  a  child  in  the  ship.  I 
baptized  him  on  Sabbath  following,  and  called  him 
Seaborn^ 

After  their  return,  Mr.  Livingston  went  to  his 
mother's  house,  and  Mr.  Blair  to  the  "  Stone "  (or 
Strone  or  Strand)  in  Belfast.     They  appear  to  have 


(50  SCOTLAND   AN  ASYLUM.  [Ch.  IV. 

spent  that  winter  in  preaching  in  private  liouses,  but 
receiving  notice  in  the  spring  of  a  complaint  entered 
afrainst  them  in  Dublin,  thev  escaped  to  Scotland. 

The  western  parts  of  Scotland  became  at  this  period 
an  asvlum  for  oppressed  people  of  Ulster,  notwithstand- 
ing- the  attempts  of  the  Scottish  Bishops  to  prevent  the 
emigration.  They  were  harbored  principally  in  the 
shires  of  Ayr  and  Wigton,  and  they  were  especially 
befriended  by  one  Fergus  M'Cabbin  of  the  district  of 
Carrick  in  Ayrshire.  He  had  inherited  a  large  estate 
from  his  father,  which  he  freely  expended  in  entertain- 
in"'  the  Irish  refugees,  insomuch  that  his  friends  feared 
that  he  would  impoverish  himself,  but  to  his  dying- 
day  he  declared  that  he  grew  richer  as  his  charities  in- 
creased. The  celebrated  David  Dickson,  minister  at 
Irvine,  afterwards  a  distinguished  ornament  and  pil- 
lar of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  was  also  conspicuous 
for  his  attentions  to  the  exiled  brethren.  Blair,  Liv- 
ingston, Cunningham  and  Ridge,  v/cre  liberally  entei- 
tained  by  him  and  his  people  for  some  time ;  and 
though  at  no  little  hazard  to  himself,  he  occasionally 
permitted  them  to  preach. 

Cunningham  aud  Ridge  died  here  in  the  midst  of 
their  troubles  and  privations.  Livingston,  in  giving 
an  account  of  Mr.  Cunningham's  death,  narrates  many 
of  his  dying  expressions:  he  said,  "I  see  Christ  stand- 
ing over  Death's  head  and  saying,  Deal  warily  w^ith 
my  servant,  loose  now  this  pin,  then  that  pin,  for 
this  tabernacle  must  be  set  up  again."  A  litlle  before 
his  death,  his  wdfe  sitting  by  his  bed  with  his  hand  in 
hers,  he  in  prayer  commended  the  church,  the  work 
of  God  in  Ireland,  the  parish  of  Holy  wood,  his  suffer* 
}jig  mother,  and  his  children  to  Grod,  and  then  said^ 


1637,]  WENTWOETH's   ARBITTIARY   COURSE.  61 

''O  Lord,  I  recommend  unto  thee  this  gentlewoman 
who  is  no  more  my  wife,"  and  then  gently  loosing  his 
hand  from  hers,  put  her  aside,  and  soon  after  slept  in 

the  Lord. 

<  Wcntworth  having  obtained  from  Parliament  the 
unconditional  supplies  he  demanded,  and  from  the 
court  the  extraordinar}^  powers  necessary,  in  the  most 
arbitrary  manner  confiscated  the  entire  province  ot 
Connaught,  although  the  proprietors  held  under  pa- 
tents from  the  crown,  and  had  long  enjoyed  undisturb- 
ed their  possessions.  The  county  of  Galway  alone  op- 
posed his  designs  by  the  refusal  of  the  jury  to  find 
for  the  crown  as  in  other  places  ;  but  they  paid  dearly 
for  their  independence,  each  juror  being  fined  the 
exorbitant  sum  of  four  thousand  pounds,  and  im- 
prisoned until  paid.  The  entire  county  was  declared 
forfeited  to  the  crown,  and  the  proprietors  were  only 
allowed  to  re-purchase  at  higher  rents,  and  with 
heavy  fines  imposed.  The  titles  in  Ulster  were  in 
like  manner  subject  to  a  close  examination,  and  in 
case  of  the  least  defeult  in  the  conditions  upon  which 
they  were  held,  the  owners  were  compelled  to  re- 
new their  patents.  The  corporation  of  the  city  of 
London  in  particular  suffered  under  this  iniquitous 
system.  An  action  against  them  had  been  for  some 
time  pending  in  the  Star  Chamber  Court  in  England 
for  the  non-fulfillment  of  conditions  under  which  they 
held  the  county  of  Londonderry,  and  the  cities  of 
Derry  and  Coleraine.  This  suit  was  now  urged  on 
more  vigorously  by  Wentworth :  and  in  the  year  1637 
they  were  sentenced  to  pay  to  the  crown  the  exorbi- 
tant fine  of  seventy  thousand  pounds,  their  patent  was 
revoked,  their  lands   were  seized  in  the  name  of  the 


62  INTERFERENCE  WITH   COMMERCE.  [Ch.  lY. 

Kino-,  and  Bishop  Bramhall  was  appointed  receiver- 
general  of  all  their  Irish  revenues. 

Not  ODly  were  the  rights  of  property  thus  violated, 
but  the  personal  liberty  of  the  highest  subjects  were 
invaded  when  opposing  the  views  of  Wentworth. 
Such  was  the  case  with  Sir  Piers  Crosby,  a  privy 
counsellor,  Loftus  the  Lord  Chancellor,  and  Lord 
Mountnorris  the  vice-treasurer.  The  latter  nobleman, 
a  man  of  umblemished  character,  was  summarily  de- 
Drived  of  his  commission  in  the  army  by  a  court- 
martial,  of  which  Wentworth  was  president,  for  indis- 
creet and  ambigaous  words  used  in  private,  supposed 
to  convey  an  imputation  injurious  to  the  character  of 
the  Deputy. 

The  same  arbitrarv  measures  were  carried  into  the 
commercial  regulations  of  the  kingdom.  He  estab- 
lished monopolies,  laid  heavy  duties  upon  the  impor- 
tation of  merchandise,  prohibited  the  exportation  of 
valuables,  and  crushed  the  woollen  manufactures.  But 
on  the  other  hand  it  should  be  placed  to  his  credit,  that 
he  introduced  the  linen  manufactures,  and  expended 
much  of  his  private  propertj^  in  its  advancement: — he 
repressed  the  depredation  of  pirates ;  he  placed  the 
collection  of  the  revenues  under  e£6.cient  and  salutary 
control,  and  brought  the  army  into  an  organized  and 
disciplined  condition,  so  that  while  on  the  one  hand 
Ids  administration  was  oppressive  in  the  extreme,  on 
the  other  it  was  productive  of  wealth  and  tranquility 
to  the  kingdom. 

But  the  attention  of  Wentworth  was  now  drawn  to 
important  events  in  Scotland.  Charles,  soon  after  his 
coronation,  incited  and  directed  by  Laud,  attempted  to 
impose  the  English  Liturgy  and  a  new  book  of  canons 


1636.]  THE   BOOK   OF  CANONS.  63 

Upon  the  Scottisli  Church.  This  work  was  committed 
to  "four  of  the  younger  prelates,  who  were  directed  by 
Charles  to  prepare  drafts  of  the  intended  publications, 
and  transmit  them  to  Laud  for  correction.  Under  his 
auspices  they  were  successively  printed ;  and  with  his 
own  hand  he  introduced  those  deviations  from  the  En- 
glish standards,  which  proved  so  peculiarly  oppressive  to 
the  Scottish  nation,  and  betrayed  too  palpable  a  desire 
to  revive  some  of  the  most  offensive  rites  of  Popery.  On 
the  23d  of  May,  1635,  the  book  of  canons  was  ratified 
by  the  King  in  council,  and  imposed  on  the  nation  by 
virtue  of  the  royal  supremacy  alone. 

The  enactments  contained  in  these  canons 'aroused 
the  indignation  of  the  people :  the  royal  supremacy' 
was  made  absolute  and  unlimited  ;  no  assembly  of  the 
clergy  could  be  summoned  but  by  the  king;  private 
meetings  for  expounding  the  Scriptures  were  forbid- 
den ;  every  ecclesiastical  person  dying  without  issue 
was  directed  to  ''  leave  his  effects,  or  a  great  part  of 
them"  to  the  church ;  communicants  were  compelled  to 
take  the  Lord's  Supper  kneeling,  and  the  remaining  por- 
tion of  the  elements  was  to  be  couFumed  in  the  church ; 
ordination  was  conferred  only  at  four  particular  seasons 
of  the  year,  as  though  it  was  a  sacramen  ,  and  the 
practice  of  private  confession  and  absolution  en- 
couraged ;  an  unqualified  sanction  was  given  to  the 
service-book,  although  it  was  not  published  until  a 
year  later ;  all  were  to  be  excommunicated  who  affirm- 
ed that  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  contained  any 
thing  repugnant  to  Scripture,  or  that  was  corrupt, 
superstitious  or  unlawful  in  the  service  and  worship 
of  God ;  no  presbyter  was  to  pray  in  public  but  accord- 
ing to  the  prescribed  form  ;    and  no  person  could  be 


64  AFFAIRS  IN  SCOTLAND.  [Ch.  IV 

admitted  to  holy  orders,  or  perform  any  ecclesiasti- 
cal function  without  first  subscribing  these  canons. 
Thns  were  the  Scottish  clergy,  by  a  most  absurd  and 
unprecedented  tyi-anny,  compelled  to  declare  their  un- 
conditional approbation  of  an  unpublished  liturgy, 
which  they  had  no  opportunity  of  reading. 

In  the  following  year,  when  the  long-expected  lit- 
urgj'  appeared,  it  was  found  to  be  a  transcript  of  the 
English  service-book,  with  some  important  alterations, 
to  wit ;  it  contained  a  benediction  or  thanksgiving  for 
departed  s-iints,  of  whom  a  large  number  connected 
with  Scotland  was  added  to  the  popish  saints  of  the 
English 'calendar  ;  alterations  and  transpositions  were 
introduced  into  the  communion -service  countenancing 
the  real  presence  of  Christ ;  tl:e  officiating  priest  was 
to  stand  wnth  his  back  to  the  congregation  with  his 
arms  extended,  as  if  elevating  the  host ;  the  sign  of 
the  cross  was  used  in  baptism,  and  the  water  in  the 
font  was  changed  and  consecrated  twice  a  month  ;  les- 
sons from  the  Apocrypha  were  appointed  to  be  read, 
and  the  various  gestures  of  bowino-  standino-  sittino- 
and  kneeling  in  their  appointed  places  were  indispen- 
sable to  the  canonical  celebration  of  divine  Avorship. 
It  is  no  wonder,  therefore,  that  all  ranks  united  in  op- 
posing it;  and  when,  in  the  month  of  Juh',  1637,  it 
Avas  for  the  first  time  used  in  Edinburgh,  a  tumult  arose 
in  the  church,  the  service  was  violently  iiiterrupted, 
and  the  officiating  priests  were  with  difficulty  preserved 
from  the  fury  of  the  incensed  multitude.     It  wiis  ia 
this  memorable  riot  that  Janet  Geddes  is  said  to  have 
thrown  her  stool  at  the  head  of  the  dean,  exclaiminn-, 
''  Villain  !  dost  thou  say  mass  at  my  lug  ?"     Bram- 
hall,  in  a  letter  to  Archbishop  Spots  wood,  writes,  "  I 


lG3t-38.] 


NATIONAL   COVENANT.  65 


humbly  thank  your  grace  for  your  high  favor,  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer.  Glad  I  was  to  see  it,  and 
more  ghid  to  see  it  such  as  it  is,  to  be  envied  in  some 
things°perhaps,  if  one  owned."  This  letter  is  dated  on 
the  13th  of  August,  and  it  is  singular  that  Brarahall, 
at  Derry,  had  not  then  heard  of  the  riot  at  Edinburgh, 
which  occurred  on  the  23d  of  July,  three  weeks  be- 
fore he  wrote,  so  slow  was  the  transmission  of  intelli- 
gence in  those  days. 

^  The  ministers  and  people,  supported  by  most  of  the 
Scottish  nobility,  feeling  the  necessity  of  a  closer  union 
in  order  to  defend  themselves  against  the  innovations 
of  Charles,  assembled,  through  their  deputies,  at  Edin- 
burgh, on  the  1st  day  of  March,  1638,  and  solemnly 
renewed  their  National  Covenant,  it  being  the  third 
time  since  the  Keformation.  This  is  not  to  be  con- 
founded with  the  solemn  league  and  covenant  which 
was  adopted  five  years  later.  In  the  course  of  two 
months  it  was  signed  by   all  ranks  throughout  the 

kingdom. 

These  vigorous  and  well- concerted  measures  were 
followed  by  a  G-eneral  Assembly  of  the  Church,  which 
Charles,  for  the  purpose  of  conciliating  those  whom  he 
could  not  coerce,  permitted  to  meet  at  Glasgow,  in  the 
month  of  November.  It  was  attended  by  one  hundred 
and  forty  ministers  and  nearly  one  hundred  elders,  as 
commissioners  from  the  fifty-three  Presbyteries  of 
which  the  Scottish  Church  was  composed.  The  Mar- 
quis of  Hamilton  was  the  royal  commissioner  and  the 
celebrated  Alexander  Henderson,  then  minister  at  Leu- 
chars,  in  Fifeshire,  was  unanimously  elected  modera- 
tor. Notwithstanding  the  attempt  of  the  commissioner 
to  dissolve  the  Assembly  and  the  protest  of  the  bishops, 


66  ACTION  OF  THE   GENERAL   ASSEMBLY.       [Oh.  IV 

the  members  were  firm  in  their  purpose.  Thej  sat  for 
thirty  days,  during  whicli  they  held  twenty-six  ses- 
sions. They  abolished  prelacy,  deposed  the  bishops, 
condemned  the  liturgy  and  book  of  canons,  and  re- 
pealed all  the  obnoxious  regulations  imposed  upon  the 
Church  since  the  commencement  of  the  century.  They 
reestablished  the  Presbyterian  judicatories,  and  enacted 
many  laws  tending  to  the  purity,  piety,  and  independ- 
ence of  the  Church. 

The  Scottish  nation  received  these  proceedings  of 
the  Assembly  with  enthusiastic  delight ;  but  Charles 
made  a  direct  appeal  to  arms  in  order  to  support  his 
insulted  authority.  He  repaired  to  York,  and  with  a 
force  of  horse  and  foot  advanced  to  the  borders.  The 
Scots  were  not  slow  to  perceive  and  oppose  the  hostile 
designs  of  the  king.  They  seized  the  principal  for- 
tresses of  the  kingdom,  and  marshalling  a  large  army 
under  Greneral  Leslie,  an  experienced  soldier,  they  pro- 
ceeded to  the  South  to  resist  what  now  had  become  the 
aggression  of  a  foreign  power. 


CHAPTER    V. 

1638-1639. 

Wentworth  watched  with  anxiety  the  movement 
in  Scotland,  fearing^  that  the  National  Covenant  would 
be  introduced  among  the  disaffected  Scots  of  Ulster. 
His  fears  were  well  grounded,  for  a  large  number  of 
the  tenantry  who  held  under  the  London  patent  had 
been  greatly  embarrassed  by  his  actions  in  regard  to 
that  corporation,  and  this  disaffection  was  increased  by 
the  attempts  of  the  northern  prelates  to  force  them 
into  conformity.  Their  fovorite  ministers  had  been  com- 
pelled to  fly  to  Scotland,  which  was  not  the  end  of  the 
persecution,  for  a  commission  was  given  to  the  Bishop 
of  Down  and  Connor  authorizing  him  to  imprison  all 
Kon-Conformists  in  his  diocese.  Under  the  execution 
of  this  commission  many  were  committed  to  prison  or 
forced  to  go  into  exile.  The  intercourse  and  sympathy 
with  Scotland  was  kept  up  by  traders  and  landed  pro- 
prietors going  to  and  fro,  but  especially  by  the  ejected 
ministers  now  settled  there.  These  faithful  men,  whom 
they  continued  to  regard  with  the  deepest  veneration, 
were  settled  in  charges  in  their  native  country  shortly 
after  their  flight  from  Ireland.  Early  in  1638  Mr. 
Blair  was  chosen  colleague  to  Mr.  William  Annan  at 
Ayr,  and  from  thence  he  removed  to  St.  Andrews. 
Livingston  was  ten  years  at  Stranraer,  and  then  at  An- 
crum,  in  Teviotdale.  Hamilton  was  settled  at  Dumfries, 
"w^hence  he  was  removed  to  Edinburgh.     Dunbar  was 


68  IRISH   MINISTEES   IN  SCOTLAND.  [Ch.  Y. 

at  Calder,  in  LotliiaD,  till  1646,  and  Col  vert  at  Paisle}^ 
M'Clelland,  wlio  had  been  admitted  to  the  ministry  in 
Ireland,  was  ordained  in  Kirkcudbright.  Semple  be- 
came minister  of  Carsphairn  in  Gralloway.  Two  other 
banished  ministers,  whose  charges  in  Ireland  can  not 
now  be  ascertained,  were  also  admitted  to  parishes  in 
Scotland  at  this  time.  These  were  Samuel  Eow,  or- 
dained as  colleague  to  Henry  Macgill  at  Dunfermline, 
and  Robert  Hamilton,  who  was  settled  at  Ballantrae,  in 
Ayrshire.  These  nine  ministers  took  an  active  part 
in  the  National  Covenant  and  Second  Reformation. 

They  had  scarcely  been  elected  to  their  charges 
when  the  bishops,  in  a  complaint  to  the  king,  repre- 
sented their  settlement  as  a  grievous  and  flagrant  con- 
tempt of  ecclesiastical  authority.  Lord  Traquair,  in  a 
letter  to  the  Marquis  of  HamiltoUj  speaks  of  the  pulpits 
as  occupied  at  this  time  by  "  foolish  Irish  preachers." 
Blair,  Livingston,  M'Clelland,  and  Hamilton  sat  in  the 
famous  Assembly  of  1638,  and  took  a  prominent  part 
in  its  proceedings,  notwithstanding  the  protest  of  the 
bishops,  which  Blair  answered  in  a  ''  brave  extempore 
harangue,"  seconded  by  David  Dickson,  then  settled  at 
Irvine,  which  entirely  satisfied  the  Assembly  that  the 
censures  inflicted  upon  them  were  most  unjust. 

So  easy  was  the  intercourse  between  Ulster  and  the 
Avest  of  Scotland,  and  so  great  was  the  veneration  in 
which  these  ministers  were  held,  that  many  of  their 
former  hearers  removed  to  Scotland  that  they  might 
enjoy  their  ministry,  while  great  numbers  usually  went 
over  from  Ireland  at  the  stated  celebration  of  the  com- 
munion. At  one  time  five  hundred  persons,  principally 
from  Down,  visited  Stranraer  to  receive  that  ordinance 
at  the  hands  of  Livingston.    And  at  another  time  he 


1638.] 


wentworth's  lettef.  69 


baptized  twenty-eight  cliildren  at  one  service,  bronght 
over  for  that  purpose.  In  tbis  manner  a  powerful  in- 
fluence was  still  exerted  by  these  godly  men  upon 
their  Scottish  brethren  in  Ulster. 

Many  also  signed  the  National  Covenant  while  vis- 
itino-  their  native  country,  so  that  Laud,  in  a  letter  to 
Wentworth  dated  July,  1638,  writes  :  ''  The  Scottish 
business  is  extream  ill  indeed,  and  what  will  become 
of  it  God  knows,  but  certainly  no  good,  and  his  Maj- 
esty hath  been  notoriously  betrayed  by  some  of  them. 
There  is  a  speech  here  that  they  have  sent  to  know  the 
number  of  Scotchmen  in  Ulster,  and  that  privately 
there  hath  been  a  list  taken  of  such  as  are  able  to 
bear  arms,  and  that  they  are  found  to  be  above  forty 
thousand  in  Ulster  only.     Tbis  is  a  very  private  re- 
port, and  perhaps  false,  but  in  such  a  time  as  this  I 
could  not  think  it  fit  to  conceal  it  from  your  lordship, 
coming  very  casually  to  my  ears."     Wentworth  was 
confident,  however,  that  his  little  army  of  two  thou- 
sand foot  and  six  hundred  horse,  though  raised  for  the 
settlement  of  Connaught  and  Munster,  would,  if  sta- 
tioned on  the  coast  of  Ulster,  cut  off  the  communica^ 
tion,  and  send  the  Earl  of  Rothes  back  ''  with  his  coat 

well  dusted." 

In  the  meantime  Wentworth  directed  the  Bishops 
to  persevere  in  enforcing  conformity,  to  preach  against 
the  Covenant  and  the  rebellion  of  the  Scots,  and  to 
keep  a  strict  watch  over  all  wbo  might  be  suspected 
of  maintaining  any  intercourse  with  the  Covenanters. 
He  also  obstructed  the  settlement  of  Scotch  incum- 
bents by  the  patrons.  One  or  two  cases  will  show  the 
vigHance  exercised.  K  Scotchman  named  Galbraith, 
was  presented  by  a  nobleman  to  the  living  of  Taugh- 


70  CASE   OF  GALBRAITH.  [Ch.  Y. 

boyne,  in  Donegal,  near  Deny,  and  was  also  appointed 
archdeacon  of  Raplioe.  But  Laud,  suspecting  him  of 
being  a  Covenanter,  directed  "Wentwortli  to  make  il 
strict  investigation,  who  writes  back  that  Dr.  Bruce, 
the  predecessor  of  Galbraith,  had  sent  him  "  certain 
knowledge  that  Gralbraith  had  signed  and  s\^'orn  the 
Covenant,  so  we  are  like  to  have  a  brave  archdeacon 
of  him ;  nevertheless,  if  himself  may  be  trusted,  all 
will  be  Avell,  no  doiibt,  or  else  there  is  more  ingenuity 
to  confess  truth  in  this  gentleman  than  I  ever  yet  observ- 
ed in  Puritan."  After  further  correspondence,  Laud, 
acting  entirely  on  the  reports  which  reached  him, 
writes  to  Wentworth  :  ''  Gralbraith,  that  would  have 
your  great  benefice,  is  a  Covenanter ;  there  is  certain 
news  of  it  brought  now  to  the  King,  and  thereupon 
his  majesty  hath  commanded  me  to  signify  unto  you 
that  you  shall  not  give  him  the  benefice.  I  hear  fur- 
ther that  this  Galbraith  hasted  out  of  Scotland  for 
killing  a  man  there ;  but  I  am  not  so  certain  of  this 
as  I  am  that  he  is  a  Covenanter,  that  is,  upon  the  mat- 
ter, that  he  is  a  traytor,"  Thus  was  this  man  who 
was  a  royalist,  according  to  strong  testimony,  consigned 
to  ruin  on  a  bare  supposition,  supported  by  interested 
calumny. 

Another  victim  of  this  persecution  was  a  minister 
in  the  diocese  of  Raphoe,  named  Pont.  He  had  de- 
clined the  use  of  the  ceremonies  of  the  church  and  had 
in  his  sermons  condomned  the  unscriptural  jurisdiction 
of  the  prelates.  It  appears  that  he  had  also  held  meet- 
ings contrary  to  the  canons.  His  wife  had  also  sif^nal- 
ized  herself  by  her  opposition  to  prelacy,  and  by 
frequenting  these  private  assemblies.  They  were  sus- 
tained in  their  proceedings  hj  Sir  William  Stewart. 


1638.]  PERSECUTION   OF   PONT.  71 

Laud  receiving  notice  of  these  facts,  gave  orders  that 
thej  should  be  tried  and  punished.  When  this  impor- 
tant cause  came  to  be  tried  Pont  was  absent,  having 
escaped  to  Scotland,  but  Sir  William  Stewart  received 
from  Wentworth  "a  very  round  and  public  rebuke 
for  his  pains,"  and  Mrs.  Pont  was  thrown  into  j)rison, 
where  she  lay  for  nearly  three  years,  till  liberated, 
after  the  fall  of  her  relentless  persecutor,  by  the  inter- 
ference of  the  Irish  Parliament. 

Wentworth,  conscious  that  Sir  William  Stewart  was 
not  the  only  one  of  the  western  gentry  tainted  with 
Puritanism,  resolved  to  proceed  against  every  one  sus- 
pected of  this  heinous  offence.  Neither  rank  nor  sex 
escaped  his  severity.  He  determined  to  remove  Lady 
Clotworthy  and  other  leading  Non-Conformists,  and 
in  these  proceedings  he  was  supported  b\'  most  of  the 
northern  Bishops.  Bramhall's  zeal  drew  forth  his 
special  commendation ;  in  a  letter  to  him  he  says, 
"  Your  Lordship's  course,  taken  and  intended  against 
the  two  packs  of  rogues  and  petty  rebels  there,  (about 
Derry,)  I  do  both  well  approve  of,  and  desire  your  Lord- 
ship it  may  effectually  be  pursued,  thanking  your 
Lordship  for  the  advertisement  thereof.  And  for 
the  clergyman  you  have  committed  for  his  lewd  pra}^- 
ing  for  the  prosperous  success  of  Scotland  in  the 
maintenance  of  religion,  if  there  be  sufficient  good 
witness  thereof,  as  it  is  likely  there  may  be  enow,  I 
desire  your  Lordship  that  he  may  be  forthwith  very 
safely  conveyed  up  hither,  with  sufficient  proofs  there- 
abouts, and  examinations,  if  any  be  taken  therein." 

But  Bisho])  Leslie  was  his  most  active  supporter,  and 
cordially  co-oj^eratad  with  him  in  all  his  arbitrary 
measures,  and  displayed  much  of  that  mean  servility 


72  Leslie's  letter.  C^s.  y. 

wbicli  characterizes  tlie  persecutor.  The  following 
letters  convey  so  clear  an  idea  of  the  state  of  Ulster 
at  this  period,  and  of  the  additional  severities  pre- 
pared for  the  ill-fated  Non-Conformists,  that  no  apol- 
ogy seems  necessary  for  inserting  them  at  length. 


*'THE   LORD   BISHOP  OF   DOWN  TO   THE   LORD   DEPUTY. 

"  Most  honorable  my  singular  good  Lord  : — 

'•  Although  it  becometh  not  me  to  make  any 
address  unto  your  lordship  but  by  petition,  yet  the 
matters  wherein  I  am  to  inform  requiring  secresy,  I 
hope  your  lordsbip  will  give  me  leave  to  direct  them 
unto  your  lordship  in  an  enclosed  letter.  There  is  one 
Eobert  Adaire,  a  justice  of  peace  in  the  county  of 
Antrim,  of  five  hundred  pounds  land  a-year,  who  hav- 
ing some  estate  in  Scotland,  both  joined  himself  unto 
the  faction  there,  signed  the  Covenant,  received  the 
oath  of  rebellion,  and  now  when  the  Marquis  (of 
Hamilton,)  was  last  in  Scotland,  he  was  one  of  the 
commissioners  for  the  county  against  the  King,  and 
one  of  them  who  were  appointed  to  watch  the  King's 
castle  (at  Edinburg,)  that  no  provision  should  be  car- 
ried in.  I  believe  that  if  there  were  a  strict  inquiry 
there  will  be  found  others  who  have  estates  in  this 
Kingdom  who  have  done  the  like. 

"All  the  Puritans  in  my  diocese  are  confident  that 
the  arms  raised  against  the  King  in  Scotland  will  pro- 
cure them  a  liberty  to  set  up  their  own  discipline  here 
am'ongst  themselves,  insomuch  that  many  whom  I  had 
brought  to  some  measure  of  conformity  have  revolted 
lately,  and  when  I  call  them  in  question  for  it  they 
scorn    my  process;    if   I  excommunicate  them,  they 


1638.]  WENTWORTH's   ANSWER.  73 

know  they  will  not  be  apprehended,  in  regard  of  the 
liberty  tlieir  Lords  have  of  excluding  all  sberiflfe. 
Besides,  it  grieveth  my  heart  to  hear  how  many  who 
live  in  Scotland,  who  co-ning  over  hither  about  matter 
of  trade,  do  profess  openly  that  they  have  signed  the 
Covenant,  and  justify  what  they  have  done,  as  if  the 
justice  of  this  kingdom  could  not  overtake  them. 
These  things  I  have  presumed  to  represent  unto  your 
lordship.  So  humbly  craving  pardon  for  m}^  boldness, 
I  pray  God  to  bless  your  lordship  with  all  health  and 
happiness,  and  to  continue  long  amongst  us  for  the 
good  of  this  church  and  kingdom.  So  prayeth  your 
lordship's  most  humble  servant  and  daily  orator. 

"Hen.  Dunensis. 

LiSNEGARYiE,  (Lisbum,)  22d  of  Sept.,  1638. 


THE  LORD  DEPUTY  TO  THE  LORD  BISHOP  OF  DOWN. 

*'  My  very  good  Lord  : 

•'  This,  with  your  permission,  will  be  an  answer  to 
yours  of  the  22d  of  September.  As  concerning  Kob- 
ert  Adaire  you  therein  mention,  I  now  send  for  him, 
but  till  his  coming  up  take  not  the  least  notice  what 
the  cause  is  moving  me  thereunto,  and  must,  in  this 
regard,  desire  your  lordship  also  to  keep  the  occasion 
of  it  to  yourself  till  you  hear  again  from  me,  which 
shortly  after  his  arrival  here  you  shall  not  fail  to  do. 

"  In  my  opinion  your  lordship  should  do  very  well 
privately  to  inquire  out  the  names  of  all  others  that 
have  danced  after  the  same  pipe,  as  also  of  all  such  as 
profess  themselves  Covenanters,  and  send  them  hither 
to  me.  In  the  rest  of  the  proceedings  your  lordship 
shall  not  be  so  much  as  once  touched  upon  or  heard  of: 


74  Leslie's  keply.  [Ch.  v. 

"  If  your  lordship  be  pleased  to  send  me,  by  the 
bearer,  the  list  of  such  as  have  revolted  from  their  con- 
formity and  stand  in  contempt  of  your  process,  as  also 
the  places  of  their  abode,  I  will  not  fail  speedily  to 
send  out  pursuivants  for  them,  who  shall  apprehend 
and  render  them  subject  to  the  ecclesiastical  courts  and 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  their  ordinary. 

"  Nor  is  this  a  business  to  be  neglected  or  faintly  to 
be  slipped  over,  but  quickly  and  roundly  to  be  corrected 
in  the  first  beginnings,  lest,  dandled  over  long,  the  hu- 
mor grow  more  churlish  and  difficult  to  be  directed  and 
disposed  to  the  peace  of  the  church  and  commonwealth, 
especially  in  a  time  when  the  assumptions  and  liberty 
of  this  generation  of  people  threaten  so  much  distrac- 
tion and  unquietness  to  both,  and,  therefore,  as  I  much 
recommend  your  lordship's  zeal  therein,  so  will  it  be 
ever  becoming  your  lordship's  piety  and  courage  con- 
fidentially to  oppose  and  withstand  their  disobedience 
and  madness,  as  hitherto  you  have  done,  wherein  you 
may  be  assured  of  all  the  assistance  that  rests  in  the 
power    of  your   lordship's  very  affectionate  faithful 

friend  to  serve  you,  "  Wentworth. 

"  Dublin,  Oct.  4,  1638." 

BISHOP   LESLIE  TO  THE  LORD   DEPUTY. 

"  Most  noble  and  gracious  Lord  : 

"  Mr.  Adaire  not  being  yet  returned  out  of  Scot- 
land, I  have  presumed  to  take  the  letter  from  the  mes- 
senger, and  have  adjured  him  to  the  like  secrecy  as 
your  lordship  hath  enjoined  me,  fearing  lest  he  should 
have  inquired  after  him  the  danger  would  be  suspected. 
And  I  humbly  pray  that  your  lordship  would  be 
pleased  to  charge  Mr.  Lindan,  now  mayor  of  Carrick- 


1638. J  Leslie's  keply.  76 

fergus,  with  the  delivery  of  the  letters,  who,  being  a 
principal  officer  of  the  custom-housCj  must  needs  know 
of  his  arrival. 

"  I  know  there  are  many  in  my  diocese  and  other 
parts  of  this  kingdom  who  have  joined  in  this  con- 
spiracy, but  I  am  not  able  to  make  proof  against  them 
if  they  should  deny  it,  for  of  late  I  have  had  no  in- 
telligence out  of  Scotland— all  letters  that  come  unto 
me  are  intercepted.     Besides,  my  friends  from  whom  I 
had  wont  to  receive  my  information  live  at  Edinburgh 
and  Aberdeen,  and  know  not  what  is  done  in  the  west 
parts  of  that  country,  whither  only  our  people  do  re- 
sort ;  yet  I  will  use  all  means  to  discover  them.     And 
in  the  mean  time  I  dare  say  that  these  persons  whom  I 
present  to  your  lordship  are  guiltj^,  because  they  are 
notable  ^Nonconformists  and  have  been  lately  in  Scot- 
land :  Kobert  Barr  of  Malone,  Eobert  Niven  of  Bel- 
fast, George  Martin  of  the  same,  and  David  Kennedy 
and  Robert  Eosse,  who  have  fled  this  kingdom  for  fear 
of  the  High  Commission,  but  have  left  their  land  be- 
hind them. 

''  As  for  those  who  contemn  my  process  and  oppose 
my  jurisdiction,  they  are  more  in  number  than  would 
fill  all  the  jails  in  Ireland;  but  the  churchwardens 
are  the  deepest  in  that  guilt,  who  will  present  none 
who  are  disobedient  in  the  government,  and  to  that 
purpose  they  are  chosen.  As  in  Scotland  they  are  en- 
tered into  a  bond  to  defend  one  another  by  arms,  so  it 
seems  that  in  my  diocese  they  have  joined  in  a  bond  to 
defend  one  another  by  their  oaths.  I  have,  therefore, 
in  obedience  to  your  lordship's  commands,  sent  a  list 
of  these  churchwardens,  extracted  out  of  my  registry. 
If  it  may  so  please  your  good  lordship  to  make  all  or 


76  Leslie's  reply.  [Oh.  v. 

some  of  them  examples,  it  will  strike  a  terror  into  the 
rest  of  that  faction. 

"  Since  his  majesty  hath  been  pleased  to  condescend 
so  far  unto  them  in  Scotland  by  his  last  proclamation, 
against  which,  notwithstanding,  they  have  protested,  a 
copy  of  both  I  have  sent  to  my  lord  of  Derry,  there  is 
such  insulting  amongst  them  here  that  they  make  me 
weary  of  my  life.  And,  as  I  am  informed,  they  are 
now  drawing  a  petition  to  his  Majesty  that  they  may 
have  the  like  favor  in  Ireland  as  is  granted  to  their 
fellows  in  Scotland,  which  I  hope  your  lordship,  in 
your  deep  wisdom,  will  prevent.  My  officers  have 
been  beaten  in  open  court.  I  have  sent  a  warrant  for 
apprehending  of  the  parties,  by  virtue  of  a  writ  of  as- 
sistance from  your  lordship,  whereof  I  never  made  use 
before,  and  if  I  apprehend  them  I  will  keep  them  in 
restraint  till  your  lordship's  pleasure  be  known.  They 
do  threaten  me  for  my  life  ;  but  by  the  grace  of  God 
all  their  bra^rs  shall  never  make  me  faint  in  doinsj  ser- 
vice  to  God  and  the  king.  I  crave  your  lordship's 
humble  pardon  for  this  tedious  letter,  and  may  God  so 
increase  and  multiply  all  his  blessings  upon  your  lord- 
ship. This  is  the  constant  prayer  of  your  lordship's 
most  humble  servant  and  daily  orator. 

"Hen.  Duensis. 

"  Oct.  18,  1638." 

These  letters  were  regularly  sent  to  Laud,  to  whom 
their  contents  would  not  fail  to  be  deeply  interesting. 
He  was  especially  offended  by  the  intimation  in  one 
of  the  letters  that  the  Irish  were  about  to  petition  the 
king  for  the  same  favor  which  had  been  granted  to  the 
Scots,  and  he  replied  that  tliey  had  no  such  concession 


1638.]  Leslie's  charge.  77 

• 
to  expect  for  themselves,  as  Ireland  had  been  reformed 
by  and  to  the  church  of  England,  whereas,  the  Scots 
had  a  church  government  of  their  own,    "  confused 
enough,"  but  still  distinct  from  that  of  England. 

Leslie,  not  content  with  exciting  the  civil  powers 
against  the  Non-Conformists,  determines  to  try  the  force 
of  threats  and  invectives.     In  a  charge  delivered  to 
his   clergy    and  laity,  at  Lisburn,  in  October,   1638, 
afterwards  printed  both   in   English  and  Latin,  as  a 
''  Confutation  of  the  Government,"  he  complains  of 
the  neglect  of  the  (church)  catechism,  and  the  exces- 
sive love  of  preaching,  which  he  compares  to  meat 
which  they  could  not  chew,  but  preferred  to  the  milk 
on  which  they  ought  to  feed.     Ho  quotes  Paul's  words. 
Is  the  whole  bodv  an  ear  ?  from  the  Geneva  Bible, 
which  was  used  in  Ireland  and  Scotland  till  1640, 
King  James'  being  intended  for  the  church  of  Eng- 
land.    He  also  quotes  a  most  reverend  prelate,  as  say- 
ino-  that  the  Puritans  had  no  mark  of  Christ's  sheep 
but  the  ear-mark.     He  compares  the  churches  of  his 
diocese  to  hog-styes,  and  contrasts  them  with  the  an- 
cient temples  of  which  Julian  said.  See  how  the  Son 
of  Mary  is  served.     He  complains  of  frequent  absences 
from  church,  and  of  the  clergy  ^'  mincing,  cutting  and 
carving"  the  liturgy,  merely  reading  the  lessons  and 
a  few  collects.      He  describes  the  laity  as  walking  in 
the  churchyard  during  prayers,  and  then  rushing  in 
to  hear  the  sermon,  as  they  would  into  a  play-house, 
but  threatens  that  ere  long  it  shall  be  "  no  prayers,  no 
sermon."     He  ascribes  all  this  to  Scottish  influence, 
and  says  that  now  their  neighbor's  house  is  burning  it 
is  time  for  them  to  look  out  for  their  own,  and  con- 
cludes with  an  attack  upon  extemporaneous  prayer. 


78  THE  BLACK  OATH.  [Ch.  Y. 

This  summary  of  Leslie's  cliarge,  together  with  the 
extracts  of  the  correspondence,  very  clearly  evince  the 
opposition  Avhich  existed  to  the  ceremonies  of  the 
church  throughout  this  populous  diocese.  They  justify 
the  inference,  that  if  non-conformity  was  so  prevalent 
under  this  most  vigilant  and  active  prelate,  it  must 
have  been  still  more  prevalent  under  less  intolerant 
bishops  in  other  parts  of  the  province.  They  corrob- 
orate, in  the  amplest  manner,  the  statements  already 
made  respecting  the  number  of  the  northern  clergy, 
who  were  in  principle  Presbyterian,  and  v/ho,  though 
coerced  with  the  promise  of  conformity,'  to  save  them- 
selves from  persecution,  adhered,  in  the  seclusion  of 
their  parishes,  to  the  Presbyterian  ritual.  They  testify 
the  conscientious  aversion  of  the  great  mass  of  the 
population  to  the  liturgy,  the  use  of  which  they  re- 
fused to  countenance  by  their  presence. 

To  coerce  the  laity  Wentworth  induced  the  bishops 
to  petition  for  a  test  oath,  which  was  accordingly  pre- 
scribed, abjuring  not  only  resistance  to  the  king's  au- 
thority, bat  all  right  of  protest  or  dissent.  This  is 
known  in  history  as  the  Black  Oath.  Many  of  the 
principal  laymen  objected  to  the  last  clause  of  this 
oath,  in  which  they  are  required  to  swear  never  to 
oppose,  nor  even  to  "  protest  against  any  of  his  loy^l 
commands ;"  while  the  Bishop  of  Eaphoe  thought  it 
only  too  mild,  "  So  mean  that  he  would  not  leave  his 
house  to  take  it."  This  oath  was  to  be  taken  kneel- 
ing by  all  above  the  age  of  sixteen  years,  both  men 
and  women,  many  of  whom  were  not  allowed  to  read 
it  beforehand.  The  Scotch  Papists  were  exempted, 
but  all  others  who  refused  this  Black  Oath  were  re- 
ported to  the  government  and  hardly  dealt  with,  by 


^^39.]  RIGOROUSLY  ENFORCED.  79 

• 

fine  and  imprisonment.  Even  women  took  refuge  in 
the  woods,  and  tbere  were  scarcely  men  enough  to 
reap  the  harvest.  Kespectable  persons,  untainted  with 
crime,  were  bound  together  with  chains  and  immured 
in  dungeons.  Several  were  dragged  to  Dublin,  and 
fined  in  exorbitant  sums,  while  multitudes  fled  to 
Scotland,  leaving  their  houses  and  properties  to  ruin. 
A  letter  from  Lord  Claneboy,  now  converted  from  the 
generous  patron  to  the  keen  persecutor  of  his  Presby- 
terian brethren,  gives  a  curious  account  of  the  way  in 
which  Bale,  a  blind  preacher,  endeavored  to  evade  the 
oath. 

Throughout  Ulster  the  Black  Oath  was  rigorously 
enforced ;  and  this  descriptive  epithet  was  too  amply 
justified  in  the  persecutions  which  it  occasioned,  not 
only  to  the  conscientious  Presbyterian,  but  to  every 
one  attached  to  the  principles,  or  zealous  for  the  main- 
tenance of  civil  and  reli odious  liberty.  Manv  recusants 
remained  in  prison  until  "Wentworth's  death,  and 
many  fled  to  Scotland.  Armed  forces  began  now  to 
be  raised  in  opposition,  among  which  was  a  company 
of  more  than  one  hundred  men,  commanded  by  one 
Fulk  Ellis,  an  English  gentleman,  to  which  Living- 
ston's parishioners,  at  Stranraer,  contributed  surprising 
sums,  a  maltman's  wife  giving  "her  daughter's  por- 
tion, whom  the  Lord  had  taken  to  himself."  Many 
of  the  ministers  had  narrow  escapes,  John  Semple, 
afterwards  a  minister  in  Scotland,  met  a  pursuivant 
on  the  road,  who  had  been  sent  to  take  him,  and  asked 
Semple  the  vray,  not  know^ing  that  he  was  the  man 
he  sought.  '^  Another  time  the  Laird  of  Leckie,  with 
Major  Siewart  and  Semple,  came  to  ISTew ton- Stewart 
together  about  their  affairs.     While  the  former  were 


80  PERSECUTIONS   CONNECTED   WITH   IT.        [Oh.  Y. 

taking  a  drink,  it  was  presently  tokl  them  tkat  three 
pursuivants  were  at  the  door  ;  upon  which  Mnjor 
Stewart  mounted  John  Semple  on  his  horse,  and  gave 
him  his  hat ;  who  being  mounted,  and  riding  by  the 
pursuivants,  inquired  '  whom  thej  were  seeking.'  They 
said,  '  If  you  will  tell  us  where  they  are  whom  we 
are  seeking,  we  will  give  you  a  reward.'  He  answered, 
'  It  may  be  I  will.'  Then  said  they,  '  We  are  seeking 
the  Laird  of  Leckie  and  John  Semple.'  Then  put- 
ting spurs  to  his  horse,  he  answered,  '  I  am  John 
Semple,  you  rogues  !'  While  they  were  calling  others 
to  help  them  to  follow  him,  the  Laird  and  Major  Stew- 
art took  horse  and  escaped.  The  pursuivants  being 
disappointed,  said,  '  All  the  devils  in  hell  v\^ill  not 
catch  these  rogues.' " 

One  case  of  peculiar  hardship,  arising  out  of  the 
imposition  of  this  Oath,  demands  especial  notice,  from 
the  importance  afterwards  attached  to  it  on  the  trial 
of  Wentworth.  Henry  Stewart,  a  man  of  property, 
with  his  wife  and  family,  consisting  of  two  daughters 
and  a  domestic  named  James  Grray,  were,  on  their  refu- 
sal to  subscribe  the  oath,  taken  to  Dublin  and  placed 
in  close  confinement.  They  were  examined  separately 
by  the  attorney  general,  and  their  examinations  taken 
as  evidence  against  them.  On  the  10th  of  September 
they  were  brought  to  trial  in  the  Star  Chamber. 
Among  the  judges  was  Bramhall,  who  was  never  ab- 
sent when  a  Presbyterian  was  to  be  persecuted,  and 
Primate  Ussher,  whom  every  Protestant  must  lament 
to  find  employed  in  such  an  office,  although  it  is  duo 
to  him  to  state  that  he  protested  against  the  doctrine 
laid  down  by  the  other  judges,  that  a  refasal  of  the 
latter  part,  involving  obedience  to  ecclesiastical  injunc- 


1639.]  CASE   OF  HENRY  STEWART.  81 

tions,  amounted  to  treason.  Thej  were  sentenced  by 
the  courl",  Stewart  and  his  wife  each  to  pay  £5,000, 
and  each  of  his  daughters  and  Gray  £2,000,  and  they 
were  to  be  imprisoned  until  their  fines  should  be  paid. 
On  their  trial  Wentworth  avowed  his  purpose  to  prose- 
cute all  recusants  ''  to  the  blood,"  and  exterminate 
them  "  root  and  branch."  To  this  family  in  prison 
Samuel  Kutherford  wrote  a  consolatory  letter. 


CHAPTER     VI. 

1639-1641. 

Wentworth,  wlio  was  now  in  tlie  zenith,  of  his 
power,  would  allow  no  opposition  even  to  liis  crea- 
tures. The  highest  nobility  quailed  before  him,  and 
any  who  manifested  the  slightest  sympathy  for  the 
Covenanters  were  marked  for  rain. 

Amono;  the  ministers  whom  the  late  ecclesiastical 
chanofes  in  Scotland  rendered  uncomfortable,  was  John 
Corbet,  minister  of  Bonhill,  near  Dunbar  ton.  Though 
a  Prelatist,  he  signed  the  Covenant  in  Scotland,  but 
would  not  sign  the  Assembly's  declaration  against  pre- 
lacy, but  fled  to  Ireland,  where  he  was  recommended 
by  Bramhall  to  Wentworth,  and  wrote  two  books 
against  Scotland ;  one  a  refutation  of  Alexander 
Henderson's  Instructions  for  Defensive  War,  full  of 
spiteful  venom,  and  inculcating  absolute  submission  to 
the  royal  will :  the  other  a  comparison  of  the  Coven- 
anters with  the  Jesuits  in  sixteen  points,  under  the 
name  of  Lysimachus  Nicanor,  a  work  which  provoked 
the  Covenanters  greatly,  and  was  asci^ibed  to  various 
well-known  writers.  This  man  being  presented  to  a 
living  in  the  diocese  of  Killala,  was  treated  coldly  by 
his  countryman.  Bishop  Adair,  who  punned  upon  his 
name  and  said  "  this  Corbey  (raven)  which  fouled  its 
own  nest  should  find  no  resting  place  in  his  diocese." 
This  being  reported  by  Bramhall  to  Wentworth,  Adair 


1639]  EARL   OF  STRAFFORD.  83 

was  deposed,  in  spite  of  Ussher's  mediation,  and  Be- 
dell's able  argument  from  the  Scriptures  and  the  can- 
ons. His  successor  was  Maxwell,  ex-Bishop  of  Boss, 
an  able  man  and  excellent  preacher,  but  one  of 
Charles'  favorite  instruments  in  Scotland.  He  was 
the  author  of  the  book  called  "  Sacro  Sancta  Eegia 
Majestas,"  to  which  Eutherford's  "LexEex"  was  a 
repl3^  Maxwell  narrowly  escaped  the  Irish  massa- 
cre, (in  which  Corbet  was  hewn  to  pieces,)  and  died 
at  Oxford  1643. 

Ulster  was  now  quiet,  and  Charles  wanting  help 
from  Ireland  against  Scotland,  had  recourse  to  Went- 
worth  for  counsel  in  this  emergency.  To  secure  his 
more  cordial  co-operation,  he  appointed  him  Lord 
Lieutenant  instead  of  Lord  Deputy,  and  raised  him  to 
the  rank  of  an  Earl  by  the  title  of  Strafford,  and  con- 
ferred upon  him  other  marks  of  approbation  and 
confidence.  Strafford  in  return  assisted  him.  with  his 
private  fortune,  and  obtained  a  liberal  subsidy  from 
the  Irish  Parliament  in  March,  1640,  as  well  as  a  flat- 
tering vote  approving  of  his  own  administration.  After 
making  arrangements  for  raising  a  new  army,  to  be 
stationed  in  the  north  of  Ulster,  and  appointing  Sir 
Christopher  Wandesford  his  deputy,  Strafford  left 
Ireland  for  England,  April  4th,  1640,  never  to  return. 
The  new  army  of  eight  thousand  foot  and  a  thousand 
horse,  chiefly  Papists,  as  appears  from  their  own  wri- 
ters, was  commanded  by  the  Duke  of  Ormond,  and 
w^as  in  a  high  state  of  discipline,  but  odious  to  the 
Protestant  population.  After  being  trained  at  Car- 
rickfergus,  it  was  to  guard  the  coast,  so  as  to  keep 
Ulster  in  check,  and  be  ready  to  invade  Scotland. 
Strafford  was  not  satisfied,  however,  but  directed  Sir 


84  MATUEING  HIS  PLANS.  [Ch.  VI. 

George  Kadcliff,  liis  confidential  agent,  to  make  a 
proposition  to  the  Irish  Parliament  for  the  removal 
of  the  Scots  from  Ulster,  lest  they  should  join  their 
countrymen  against  the  King  or  encourage  Argjle  to. 
invade  Ireland.  In  reply  to  the  objection  that  they 
had  already  taken  the  Black  Oath,  he  said  that  many 
had  not,  and  that  many  more  considered  it  unlawful 
and  not  binding,  or  they  might  answer  as  Kobert 
Bruce,  Earl  of  Carrick,  answered  Sir  John  Comyn, 
when  he  urged  the  claims  of  King  Edward,  by  cleav- 
ing his  head  in  two.  Their  numbers  showed  that  there 
could  be  no  half  measures,  that  their  only  course  was 
to  "  give  them  the  law  and  send  them  forthwith  pack- 
ing." Had  this  scheme  been  executed,  it  would  have 
been  the  ruin,  not  only  of  Presbyterianism,  but  of 
Protestantism  in  Ulster,  and  of  the  province  itself. 
But  there  was  such  a  change  of  feeling  in  the  nation 
and  the  Parliament  after  Strafford's  departure,  that 
Radcliff  did  dare  not  to  make  the  proposition. 

While  Strafford  was  maturing  his  plans  at  the  Brit- 
ish court,  and  completing  his  arrangements  for  main- 
taining the  royal  cause  triumphant  in  Ireland,  the 
national  temper  and  dispositions  had  been  silently,  but 
rapidly  changing.  Scarcely  had  he  retired  to  England, 
and  intrusted  his  government  to  the  hands  of  a  depu- 
ty, than  a  spirit  of  resolute  opposition  to  the  court 
began  to  manifest  itself.  Freed  from  the  restraint  of 
his  presence,  all  parties  began  to  complain  of  the  bur- 
den of  the  subsides  imposed  by  Parliament,  Discon- 
tent spread  quickly  through  the  kingdom.  The  peo- 
ple no  longer  suffered  in  silence,  The  intolerable 
grievances  of  his  administration  were  freely  exposed 
and  denounced;  and  a  popular  demand   for  a  relief 


1640.]      COALITION  WITH  THE   ROMAN  CATHOLICS.        85 

from  its  oppressions,   and  a  reform  of  its  abuses,  be- 
came loud  and  general. 

The  Englisli  Parliament  having  been  dissolved  in 
June,  1640,  communication  was  opened  between  the 
Puritans  of  both  kingdoms,  ''to  whom,"  says  Hume, 
"the  English  owe  the  whole  freedom  of  their  consti- 
tution." They  formed  at  this  time  the  only  party  in 
both  kingdoms  who  entertained  correct  views  of  con- 
stitutional liberty.  In  Ireland  they  were  numorous, 
and  were  to  be  found  among  the  members  of  both 
houses  of  Parliament;  and  in  Ulster,  though  many 
had  abandoned  the  country  and  retired  to  Scotland, 
they  still  constituted  the  predominant  party.  They 
now  manifested  a  determination  to  seek  a  thorous^h 
redress  of  the  grievances  under  which  the  country  had 
been  groaning.  With  this  end  in  view,  they  formed  a 
coalition  with  the  Eoman  Catholics,  a  step  never  taken 
in  the  sister  kingdom,  but  resulting  in  a  formidable  op- 
position to  the  oppressions  of  the  government.  Being 
in  the  majority  in  the  Irish  Parliament,  they  reduced 
the  subsidies  already  voted  to  one-fourth  of  the  amount, 
and  presented  an  address  to  the  Lord  Deputy  against 
the  exactions  of  the  clergy  and  the  ecclesiastical  courts. 

At  the  next  session  of  the  Parliament,  in  October, 
they  were  bolder  still,  and  a  remonstrance  was  pre- 
sented to  the  House  of  Commons,  stating  in  fifteen 
articles  their  grievances  endured  under  Strafford.  The 
eighth  of  these  articles  represented  the  city  and  county 
of  Londonderry,  "  the  first  and  most  useful  settlement 
in  Ulster,  and  its  chief  strength,"  as  almost  destroyed. 
The  ninth  complained  of  the  High  Commission  Court, 
its  illegal  exactions,  and  encroachments  upon  other 
courts.      This   celebrated   remonstrance   was   sent  to 


86  AFFAIRS   IN  ENGLAND.  [Ch.  VI. 

England  by  a  committee  of  three  from  eacli  province, 
all  of  wliom  were  eitlier  Eoman  Catliolics  or  Puritans. 
The  representatives  of  Ulster  were  Sir  James  Mont- 
gomery, M.  P.  for  Devonshire,  Sir  William  Cole, 
M.  P.  for  Fermanagh,  and  Edward  Eowley,  M.  P.  for 
Londonderry.  Though  forbidden  by  the  deputy,  they 
sailed  for  England  on  the  12th  of  November,  and  on 
their  arrival  found  Strafford  stripped  of  his  power, 
impeached  by  the  Commons  of  England,  and  impris- 
oned under  the  charge  of  high  treason  ! 

The  circumstances  which  led  to  this  unexpected 
vicissitude  are  well  known.  The  pressing  necessities 
of  the  king  had  at  length  compelled  him  reluctantly 
to  summon  another  Parliament,  which  sat,  with  some 
interruptions,  for  nineteen  years,  and  has  hence  been 
styled  the  Long  Parliament.  It  assembled  at  one 
of  the  most  critical  periods  in  the  history  of  the 
nation.  The  tyrannical  conduct  of  Charles — his  arbi- 
trary encroachments  on  the  rights  of  the  people — his 
avowed  contempt  of  Parliaments,  and  his  determin- 
ation to  rule,  if  possible,  independently  of  their  con- 
trol— the  glaring  abases  in  the  administration  of 
justice — the  cruelty  and  oppression  of  illegal  courts — 
the  decay  of  trade  by  monopolies  and  impositions — 
and  above  all  the  corruption  of  religion — the  inso- 
lence and  violence  of  the  clergy,  and  the  gradual  as- 
similation of  the  church,  under  the  auspices  of  Laud, 
to  the  Romish  superstition — these  grievances,  affecting 
every  class,  and  involving  matters  of  the  deepest  in- 
terest to  every  individual,  had  justly  excited  so  gen- 
eral a  discontent  throughout  the  kingdom,  and  roused 
so  resolute  a  spirit  of  hostility  to  the  court,  as  could 
no  longer  be  subdued  or  repressed. 


1640.]  LONG  PARLIAMENT.  87 

On  tho  SOtli  of  ISTovember,  1640,  the  memorable 
Parliament  was  opened  bj  tbe  king  in  person,  and  on 
the  third  day  of  meeting,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Pym,  in 
a  speech  of  great  force  and  eloquence,  it  went  into 
committee  of  the  whole  on  the  state  of  Irek\ud.     The 
motion  was  seconded  by  Sir  John  Clotworthy  of  An- 
trim, who  had  removed  to  England  in  consequence  of 
his  opposing  Wentworth's  monopoly  of  linen   yarn, 
and  was  chosen  to  Parliament  from  two  places,  one 
in  Cornwall,  and  the  other  (Maiden)  in  Essex,  which 
last  he  chose  to  represent.     Being  a  firm  patriot  and 
a   staunch    Presbyterian,    and   well    acquainted   with 
Irish  affairs,  he  contributed   materially  to  the  fall  of 
Strafford.     On  the  11th  of  November  the  Commons 
adopted  the  bold  and  hazardous  resolution  of  impeach- 
ing Strafford  of  high  treason.     A  committee,  of  whom 
Sir  John  Clotworthy  was  one,  was  appointed  to  pre- 
pare the  charges  against  him.      The  same  day  he  was 
formally  impeached  at  the  bar  of  the  House  of  Lords, 
and  immediately  sequestered  from  his  seat,  and  com- 
mitted to  the  tower.     One  of  Baillie's  letters  gives  a 
graphic  account  of  his  appearance  when  summoned 

before  the  House. 

"  The  word  goes  in  haste  to  the  Lord  Lieutenant, 
when  he  was  with  the  King ;  with  speed  he  comes  to 
the  House ;  he  calls  rudely  at  the  door ;  James  Max- 
well, keeper  of  the  black  rod,  opens  ;  his  lordship,  with 
a  proud,  gloomy  countenance,  makes  towards  his  place 
at  the  board  head  ;  but  at  once  many  bid  him  void  the 
house  ;  so  he  is  forced,  in  confusion,  to  go  to  the  door 
till  he  was  called.  After  consultation,  being  called 
in,  he  stands,  but  is  commanded  to  kneel,  and  on  his 


88  STEAFFOED   IMPEACHED.  [Oh.  YI. 

knees  to  liear  the  sentence.  Being  on  liis  knees,  he  is 
delivered  to  the  keeper  of  the  black  rod,  to  be  prisoner 
till  he  was  cleared  of  these  crimes  the  House  of  Com- 
mons had  charged  him  with.  He  offered  to  speak,  but 
was  commanded  to  begone  without  a  word.  In  the 
outer  room  John  Maxwell  required  him,  as  prisoner,  to 
deliver  his  sword.  This  done,  he  makes  through  a  num- 
ber of  people  towards  his  coach,  all  gazing,  none  cap- 
ping to  him,  before  whom  that  morning  the  grandest 
of  England  would  have  stood  discovered." 

The  committee  from  the  Irish  Parliament,  arriving 
at  this  critical  juncture,  were  received  in  London  with 
every  mark  of  respect.  On  the  20th  of  November 
their  remonstrance  was  presented  to  the  House  of  Com- 
mons, and  produced  an  impression  most  unfavorable  to 
Strafford.  This  application  was  the  first  ever  made  by 
the  Irish  to  the  Engiisli  Parliament,  and  formed  at  this 
period  an  important  precedent  in  favor  of  the  people 
of  Ireland.  Their  own  Parliament  had  been  suddenly 
prorogued  by  Wandesford,  Strafford's  deputj^,  with  the 
view  of  checking  the  spirit  of  opposition  to  the  court, 
which  had  been  growing  daily  more  formidable.  The 
only  channel,  therefore,  through  which  they  could 
make  known  tbeir  grievances,  or  seek  for  redress,  lay 
in  the  Parliament  of  England.  The  way  having  been 
once  opened  to  this  tribunal,  their  petitions  were  favor- 
orably  received ;  and  many  of  the  Irish  nobility  and 
commoners  having  repaired  to  London  to  assist  in 
bringing  to  justice  their  impeached  governor,  every 
facility  was  thereby  enjoyed  by  the  oppressed  in  Ire- 
land for  submitting  their  respective  grievances  to  the 
notice  of  Parliament. 

The  exile  of  the  ministers  and  persecution  of  the 


1640.] 


PETITION   FROM   IRELAND.  89 


Puritans,  in  Ulster,  had  led  before  this  time  to  night 
meetings,  in  which  laymen  took  the  lead,  among  whom 
two  of  the  most  noted  were  John  Kelso  and  the  laird 
of  Leckie,  whose  name  still  continues  in  and  about 
Derry.  This  practice  having  been  introduced  into 
Scotland,  led  to  warm  discussions  in  the  General  As- 
sembly of  1640,  by  which  it  was  condemned,  at  the 
suggestion  of  Henry  Guthrie,  of  Sterling  ;  but  a  more 
moderate  decision  was  adopted  by  a  subsequent  assem- 
bly under  the  lead  of  Alexander  Henderson. 

A  petition  for  the  restitution  of  the  ministers  and 
their  endowments  was  presented  to  the  English  Parlia- 
ment, with  the  signatures  of  fifteen  hundred  persons, 
and  though  Bramhall  wrote  to  Ussher,  that  "  if  that 
was  thought  the  way,  half  of  them  could  be  induced  to 
sign  a  contrary  petition,  with  five  thousand  better  than 
th'emselves,"  we  learn  from  Ussher's  answer,  that  when 
both  had  been  presented,  that  of  the  Puritans  was  signed 
by  a  "huge  number,"  and  ''far  larger"  than  the  other. 
This  petition,  the  first  which  emanated  from  Irish  Pres- 
byterians, was  presented  by  Sir  John  Clotworthy  not 
earlier  than  April,  1641.     It  bore  the  name  of  "  Some 
Protestant  inhabitants  of  Ulster,"  and  complained  of  the 
"  unblest  way  of  prelacy,"  a^  having  starved  their  souls 
and  ruined  their  estates."    So  that  by  the  arts  of  "  task- 
masters" and  "incendiaries"  they  had  become  "  no  peo- 
ple," and  could  only  be  restored  by  a  powerful  and  able 
ministry."    To  the  petition  was  added  a  "  Particular,"  or 
statement  of  specific  grievances,  digested  under  thirty- 
one  heads.     The  charges  in  this  petition  were  followed 
by  others  equally  strong  against  the  conduct  of  Straf- 
ford in  the  administration  of  the  civil  affairs  of  the 
kingdom.      While    the   Parliament   was    proceeding 


90  TRIAL   OF  STRAFFORD.  [Ch,  VL 

steadily  in  their  impeachment,  the  Irish  Commons  re- 
assembling in  March,  1641,  followed  their  exam- 
ple, and  impeached  four  of  the  confidants  of  Strafford, 
among  whom  was  Bramhall,  as  participators  in  his 
treason. 

Of  the  charges  against  Strafford,  sixteen  related  to 
Ireland,  among  which  was  his  commission  to  Bishop 
Leslie,  empowering  him  at  pleasure  to  imprison  the  Non- 
Conformists  ;  his  imposition  of  the  Black  Oath,  with- 
out authority  of  Parliament,  and  his  treatment  of  the 
Stewarts  ;  which  last  produced  a  strong  impression  on 
the  House.  Sir  John  Clotworthy  and  Sir  James  Mont- 
gomery appeared  as  witnesses,  and  their  testimony  was 
of  great  importance  in  bringing  home  the  charge  of 
violation  of  the  fundamental  laws  of  the  kingdom.  The 
trial  took  place  in  Westminster  Hall,  from  the  21st  of 
March  to  the  13th  of  April,  and  was  followed  by  a  bill 
of  attainder,  against  which  there  were  only  fifty-nine 
votes  in  the  Commons,  and  nineteen  in  the  Lords.  The 
King  perfidiously  gave  his  assent,  and  Strafford  was 
beheaded  on  Tower  Hill,  May  12,  1641,  in  the  forty- 
seventh  year  of  his  age.  His  deputy,  Sir  Christopher 
Wandesford,  died  suddenly  a  few  months  after. 

The  government  of  Ireland,  after  some  changes,  was 
entrusted  to  two  Lords  Justices,  Sir  John  Parsons  and 
Sir  John  Borlase,  both  of  whom  were  Puritans  ;  but 
the  latter  being  a  military  officer,  the  chief  burden  and 
responsibilit}^  of  the  government  rested  on  the  former. 
They  cordially  cooperated  with  the  Papists  in  repairing 
the  damage  caused  by  Strafford's  administration.  Arch- 
ibald Adair,  the  deposed  Bishop  of  Killala,  was  re- 
leased from  prison,  and  made  Bishop  of  Waterford,  in 
place  of  Adderton,  one  of  his  old  enemies,  who  had  been 


1641  CONFISCATED   PROPERTY  RESTORED.  91 

executed  for  an  infamous  crime.  Henry  Stewart  and 
his  family  were  released  from  prison,  but  in  abject  pov- 
erty, their  property  having  been  all  confiscated.  Mr. 
Stewart  returned  to  Scotland,  of  which  he  was  a  native, 
and  applied  to  the  Parliament  sitting  in  Edinburgh  for 
relief.  His  case  was  referred,  with  a  recommendation 
to  the  English  commissioners,  and  the  English  Parlia- 
ment, both  Houses  concurring,  granted  damages  to  the 
amount  of  £1,500  to  Stewart,  and  £400  to  his  servant, 
Gray,  which  sums  were  paid  out  of  the  sequestered  es- 
tate of  Sir  George  Eadcliffe.  Adair  of  Ballymena, 
whom  Strafford  and  Leslie  were  so  anxious  to  seize, 
but  who  escaped  into  Scotland,  was  returned  to  sit  in 
the  Scottish  Parliament,  as  Laird  of  Kilhill  and  mem- 
ber for  the  shire  of  Galloway,  petitioned  the  House  to 
recommend  him  to  Charles,  that  the  sentence  of  the 
Irish  courts,  pronouncing  him  a  traitor,  might  be  re- 
versed. They  unanimously  recommended  his  case,  and 
his  sentence  was  finally  rescinded  and  its  penalties  re- 
moved. A  lineal  descendant  of  the  same  name  still 
enjoys  the  restored  property. 

The  English  Parliament  also  contributed  its  power- 
ful aid  to  the  redress  of  Irish  grievances,  and  by  a 
unanimous  vote  of  the  House  they  rescinded  the  sen- 
tence of  the  Star-Chamber  Court,  in  England,  by  which 
the  county  of  Londonderry,  with  the  towns  of  Derry 
and  Coleraine,  had  been  forfeited  to  the  Crown.  This 
extensive  confiscation  was  one  of  the  most  impolitic, 
as  it  was  one  of  the  most  unjust,  measures  of  Straf- 
ford's administration,  for  not  only  did  it,  by  endan- 
gering the  property,  rouse  the  indignation  of  all  who 
held  by  patent  from  the  Crown, — a  very  numerous 
and  influential  class  in  Ireland, — but  by  wresting  this 


92  ACTS   OF   IRISH   PARLIAMENT.  •     [Ch.  YI. 

valuable  plantation  from  the  corporation  of  London, 
so  deep  a  resentment  was  excited  in  tliat  city  against 
him  that  his  fall  was  thereby  greatly  accelerated. 
Their  property  was  now  restored  to  the  corporation, 
to  the  great  joy  of  the  Avhole  city,  and  to  the  manifest 
prosperity  of  this  portion  of  Ulster.  Nor  onght  it  to 
be  forgotten  that,  in  less  than  half  a  century  after- 
wards, the  safety  of  the  empire  at  large,  and  its  deliv- 
erance from  Popish  tyranny  and  misrule,  were  in  a 
great  measure  owing  to  the  performance  of  this  act  of 
justice  by  the  English  Commons.  Had  this  exten- 
sive plantation,  with  its  important  towns  and  cities, 
continued  under  the  immediate  patronage  and  direct 
influence  of  the  subsequent  Kings  of  England,  in  all 
human  probability,  James  II.  would  never  have  been 
defeated  under  the  walls  of  Derry. 

The  Irish  Parliament,  following  the  example  of  the 
English,  acted  vigorously  in  remedying  the  evils  of 
Strafford's  administration,  one  of  their  principal  acts 
being  the  abolition  of  the  High  Commission  Court,  an- 
nuling  its  offensive  acts  and  those  of  the  bishops.  Meas- 
ures were  also  taken  to  restore  Trinity  College  to  its 
primitive  condition,  but  were  interrupted  by  the  re- 
bellion. 

During  these  legislative  proceedings  the  army  which 
Strafford  had  stationed  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Antrim 
remained  inactive,  occupying  their  time  in  construct- 
ing earthworks,  encampments,  etc.,  as  a  school  of  prac- 
tice. Charles  having  in  the  meantime  acceded  to  the 
demands  of  his  Scottish  subjects,  and  relinquished  the 
design  of  invading  that  kingdom, —.  the  object  for 
which  these  forces  had  been  raised — they  v/ere  thus 
rendered  useless ;  nor  was  there  any  pretext  for  main- 


1641.]         ^  ARMY   DISBANDED.  93 

taining  any  longer  this  offensive  establistiment.  The 
English  Parliament,  accordingly,  at  the  suggestion 
both  of  Protestants  and  Eomanists,  urged  Charles  to 
disband  these  forces  ;  but  he  evinced  the  utmost  anx- 
iety to  keep  the  army  on  foot.  The  former  began  to 
be  apprehensive  that,  consisting  chiefly  of  Romanists, 
and  commanded  by  the  creatures  of  Strafford,  it  might 
be  transported  to  England,  to  support,  by  force  of  arms, 
the  royal  against  the  popular  party.  They  therefore 
urged  their  application  with  great  earnestness,  and 
Charles  was  at  length  compelled  to  yield  to  their  im- 
portunity ;  and  the  army  was  disbanded  in  the  month 
of  August,  and  their  arms  and  ammunition  deposited 
in  the  castle  at  Dublin. 

But  though  dissolved  as  an  Irish  army,  Charles  was 
anxious  that,  in  conjunction  with  additional  levies, 
they  might,  under  the  sanction  of  the  Irish  Parliament, 
be  permitted  to  enter  into  the  service  of  his  ally,  the 
King  of  Spain,  in  Flanders.  But  all  parties  in  the 
Commons  united  in  opposing  this  design.  The  Puri- 
tans were  against  it,  on  the  ground  that  these  forces 
would  be  as  conveniently  placed  there  as  in  Ireland, 
for  the  invasion  of  England,  should  Charles  be  led  to 
adopt  this  desperate  measure,  of  which  they  were  be- 
coming more  and  more  apprehensive.  The  Popish 
party  affected  to  clamor  against  their  removal,  lest 
they  might  be  sent  back  by  the  Spanish  monarch, 
whose  ancestors  had  often  meditated  the  invasion  of 
Ireland,  for  the  purposes  of  rebellion  or  of  conquest. 
Subsequent  events  render  it  probable  that  the  lead- 
ers of  the  latter  party  opposed  the  removal  of  this  dis- 
ciplined soldiery,  actuated  by  the  same  religious  pre- 
judices and  antipathies  as  themselves,  with  the  view 


94  IRISH  ARMY  DISBANDED.  •    [Ch.  VII. 

of  retaining  them  to  aid  in  the  rebellion,  which,  there 
is  reason  to  believe,  was  even  then  meditated.  The 
English  concurred  with  the  Irish  Parliament  in  oppos- 
ing the  removal  of  these  troops  ;  and  thus  thousands 
of  an  idle,  restless  soldiery,  hostile  to  the  English 
power,  full  of  hatred  against  the  Puritans,  and  ready 
to  be  engaged  in  any  enterprise,  however  desperate, 
were  detained  in  the  country  to  aggravate  the  hor- 
rors of  the  rebellion,  which  in  a  few  months  after- 
wards broke  out,  and  deluged  the  kingdom  with  seas 
of  blood. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

1641. 

Ireland  had  never  been  so  prosperous  as  just  after 
the  fall  of  Strafford.  The  abuses  of  his  government 
had  been  redressed,  and  all  dissatisfaction  with  respect 
to  defective  titles  had  been  removed  by  the  confirma- 
tion of  the  Graces,  and  by  other  conciliatory  acts  of  the 
Sovereign  and  the  English  Parliament.  The  Eoman 
Catholics  enjoyed  full  toleration,  and  shared  with  the 
Protestants  the  titles  conferred  on  the  peers  of  Ireland 
by  James  and  Charles,  while  their  gentry  were  mem- 
bers of  Parliament,  judges,  magistrates  and  sheriffs. 
Their  clergy  were  unmolested  in  their  religious  rites 
and  their  other  ecclesiastical  functions,  and  a  new  era 
of  national  improvement  and  civilization  appeared  to 
be  opening  on  the  country. 

But  these  anticipations  were  grievously  disappointed 
by  the  breaking  out  of  the  great  rebellion.  This  un- 
doubtedly originated  with  the  native  Irish,  prompted 
by  the  chieftains  whose  estates  had  been  confiscated  in 
the  beginning  of  the  century,  and  who  were  now  liv- 
ing in  the  courts  of  Kome  and  Madrid,  enjoying  splen- 
did allowances,  and  holding  high  military  rank,  and 
at  the  same  time  keeping  up  communication  with  their 
own  country,  especially  through  Popish  priests.  The 
native  Irish,  always  impatient  of  the  English  yoke,  had 
been  rendered  more  so  by  the  conduct  of  Charles  as  to 
the  Graces,  and  of  Strafford  as  to  the  defective  titles, 


96  ORIGIN  OF  THE   REBELLION.  [Ch.  YII 

altliougli  these  complaints  were  now  removed  by  tlie 
Lords  Justices. 

But  the  chief  design  of  the  rebellion  was  a  religious 
one  to  destroy  Protestantism,  and  restore  the  patrimo- 
ny of  the  Eomish  Church.  The  Protestant  faith 
had  been  pressed  upon  them  and  propagated  by  those 
whom  they  were  artfully  taught  to  consider  as  their 
oppressors,  and  their  native  language,  as  a  vehicle  of 
instruction,  had  been  most  unaccountably  neglected. 
The  reformed  clergy,  with  a  few  exceptions,  had  been 
indolent  and  careless ;  on  the  one  hand  bigoted  and 
intolerant,  and  on  the  other  despising  the  Irish  as  being 
incapable  of  improvement.  The  bitter  feeling  thus 
generated  was  fostered  by  the  priests,  who  had  as 
strong  a  desire  to  regain  their  ecclesiastical  property 
as  the  nobility  to  recover  their  forfeited  estates.  This 
movement  was  encouraged  by  the  Pope  in  the  hope 
of  recovering  "  the  isle  of  saints,"  still  regarded  as 
the  especial  patrimony  of  the  Eomish  .see.  It  was  also 
promoted  by  the  example  of  the  Scots,  though  free 
from  all  conspiracy  and  treachery ;  and  also  by  un- 
founded reports  as  to  the  persecuting  spirit  and  design 
of  the  English  Puritans.  One  of  these  stories  repre- 
sented Sir  John  Clotworthy  as  having  said  that  the  con- 
version of  the  Papists  in  Ireland  was  only  to  be  effect- 
ed by  the  Bible  in  one  hand  and  the  sword  in  the  other. 

The  plot  had  long  been  forming ;  even  during  the 
administration  of  Strafford  their  leaders  had  held  fre- 
quent consultations  on  the  projected  insurrection,  but 
its  execution  seems  to  have  been  hastened  by  the  state 
of  affairs  in  England,  Charles'  breach  with  the  Parlia- 
ment, and  secret  endeavors  to  coerce  it  b}^  the  help  of 
the  army.     He  was  now  looking  for  assistance  to  the 


1641.]  ITS   PLAN.  97 

Irish  troops,  which  had  not  been  removed  on  the  death 
of  Strafford.  He  and  his  Queen  intrigued  with  the 
Roman  Catholic  commissioners,  who  went  to  England 
from  the  Irish  Parliament,  to  detach  them  from  the 
Puritans  and  enlist  them  on  the  King's  side,  which  had 
already  been  espoused  by  the  two  leading  noblemen  of 
Ireland,  the  Marquises  of  Ormond  and  Antrim. 

The  plan  on  which  these  several  partisans  of  the 
King  were  required  to  act  was,  to  seize  simultaneously 
the  capital,  and  principal  fortified  places  throughout 
the  kingdom  ;  to  disarm  all  who  would  not  enter  into 
their  scheme — even  the  Lords  Justices,  if  they  offered 
any  opposition.  They  were  then  to  reorganize  the 
army  and  increase  it  to  twenty  thousand,  and  having 
secured  the  power,  to  assume  the  government  in  the 
King's  name,  and  finally  to  call  a  Parliament,  which, 
situated  as  the  country  would  then  be,  must  necessa- 
rily be  devoted  to  the  royal  cause. 

While  these  plans  were  maturing  Charles  resolved 
to  visit  Scotland,  hoping,  by  concessions,  or  these  fail- 
ing, by  stratagems  to  secure  the  co-operation  of  that 
kingdom  in  his  plans  against  the  national  liberties. 
Accordingly,  in  the  month  of  August  he  set  out  for 
Edinburgh,  accompanied  by  Lord  Dillon,  a  Roman 
Catholic  nobleman,  and  member  of  the  Irish  commit- 
tee. The  other  Roman  Catholic  members  of  that  com- 
mittee returned  about  the  same  time  to  Ireland  to 
watch  the  interests  there. 

Up  to  this  point,  the  views  of  both  p'arties  among 
the  conspirators  v/ere  perfectly  coincident — beyond  it 
they  were  quite  opposite.     The  primary  projectors  of 
the   rebellion,  such  as  Lord  Maguire,  Roger  Moore, 
Plunket,   Sir  Phelim  O'  Neill,  &c.,  looked  upon  the 


98  THE   DIFFERENT   CONSPIRATORS.         [Ch.  YU 

seizure  of  Dublin,  and  the  reorganization  of  tlie  army, 
merely  as  preliminary  steps  to  the  overthrow  of  the 
British  power,  the  separation  of  the  kingdom  from 
England,  the  recovery  of  the  forfeited  estates,  and  the 
expulsion  of  the  Protestants  :  on  the  accomplishment 
of  these  objects  they  might  then,  as  an  independent 
Catholic  nation,  support  Charles  against  his  refractory 
Parliament.  On  the  other  hand,  the  King's  confiden- 
tial friends,  such  as  the  Earls  of  Ormond  and  Antrim, 
Lord  Gormanstown,  and  perhaps  the  other  gentry  of 
the  Pale,  Sir  James  Dillon,  &c.,  do  not  appear  to  have 
contemplated,  in  their  scheme  of  insurrection,  any 
unnecessary  violence  to  the  persons  or  property  of  the 
British.  Their  grand  aim  was  to  remove  the  Puritan 
party  from  the  government  of  the  kingdom,  and  to 
place  it  and  its  resources  at  the  disposal  of  the  King. 
Until  the  rebellion  broke  out,  however,  both  parties 
cordially  cooperated,  and  conducted  their  negotiations 
without  division  or  apparent  distrust. 

Charles  was  now  in  Scotland,  hoping  to  secure  that 
kingdom  in  opposition  to  the  Parliament,  and  while 
there  sent  orders  to  his  Irish  leaders  to  disarm  the 
Irish  Protestants  or  Puritans,  but  not  to  hurt  his  "  loy- 
al and  loving  subjects  "  the  Scots  of  Ulster.  This 
commission,  it  is  conjectured,  was  carried  to  Ireland 
by  Lord  Dillon,  and  accelerated  the  breaking  out  of 
the  insurrection. 

The  day  fixed  for  the  outbreak  was  first  the  5th  of 
October,  but  owing  to  the  reluctance  of  the  more  mod- 
erate party  to  have  recourse  so  suddenly  to  arms,  and 
their  desire  to  make  their  first  appeal  to  Parliament, 
which  was  to  assemble  in  the  beginning  of  November, 
it  was  changed  to  the  23d  of  October,  when  two  hun- 


1641.]  THE   PLOT   DISCOVERED.  99 

dred  men  were  to  meet  in  Dublin,  as  if  en  route  for 
Spain,  and  then  under  Roger  Moore,  Maguire  and 
others,  seize  the  castle  with  its  valuable  store,  artillery, 
arms  and  ammunition,  while  Sir  Phelim  0'  Neill  was 
to  rise  on  the  same  day  in  Ulster,  seizing  Derry  and 
Carrickfergus,  disarming  the  Protestants,  but  leaving 
the  Scots  unmolested. 

In  the  spring  of  the  same  year  Charles  had  commu- 
nicated to  the  Lords  Justices  reports  from  Spain  of  an 
intended  risins^  in  Ireland  :  and  in  the  autumn  Sir  Wil- 
liam  Cole,  of  Enniskillen,  informed  them  of  unusual 
gatherings  at  the  house  of  Lord  Maguire,  in  Fermanagh, 
and  of  Sir  Phelim  O'Neill,  in  Tyrone,  and  of  active 
correspondence  with  the  native  Irish  and  the  Lords 
of  the  Pale.  But  the  outbreak  was  prevented  by  a 
disclosure  made  to  the  Lords  Justices  the  day  before 
bv  Owen  O'ConnoU}'^,  a  native  Irishman  and  Papist, 
but  brought  up  in  the  ftimily  of  Sir  John  Clotworthy, 
and  now  a  zealous  Presbyterian.  He  had  at  this  time 
left  the  service  of  Sir  John,  probably  at  the  removal 
of  that  excellent  family  to  England,  and  had  settled 
at  Moneymore,  in  the  county  of  Derry.  He  had  been 
urged  b}^  one  of  the  conspirators,  McMahon,  to  meet 
him  at  his  house  in  Monaghan,  and  followed  him  to 
Dublin,  where  he  was  made  acquainted  with  the  plot; 
and  after  trying  to  dissuade  McMahon,  made  it  known, 
so  that  the  Lords  Justices  had  barely  time  to  secure  the 
castle  and  arrest  the  chief  conspirators.  B}^  this  sea- 
sonable disclosure  of  O'Connolly  the  principal  aim  of 
the  conspirators  was  providentially  defeated,  and  their 
associates  of  the  Pale  were  so  disheartened  by  the  dis- 
appointment, and  so  awed  by  the  vigilance  of  the  ex- 
ecutive, that  they  appear  to  have  abandoned  the  cause, 


100        SIR  PHELIM   O'XEILL  IN  THE   KORTH.       [Ch.  VII. 

until  the  successful  progress  of  tlie  northern  rebels 
encourao-eci  them  to  resume  it  a  few  months  after- 
wards. 

On  the  same  night,  according  to  the  agreement  of 
the  conspirators,  O'Neill  surprised  the  castle  of  Charle- 
montj  under  the  pretext  of  a  friendly  visit  to  Lord 
Caulfiekl,  the  commander,  and  the  next  da_y  seized  the 
strong  posts  of  Dungannon  and  Moneymore.  At  the 
same  time  different  Irish  clans  took  forcible  possession 
of  Mountjoy  in  Tyrone,  Tandragee  in  Armagh,  and 
of  Newry,  Monaghan,  Castleblany,  Carrickfergus,  Clou- 
ghouter,  and  the  open  towns  of  Fermanagh,  Donegal 
and  Derry.  The  Protestants  having  been  disarmed 
by  Strtifford,  in  1639,  to  prevent  their  cooperation 
with  the  Scots,  could  offer  no  effectual  resistance. 
The  cities  of  Derry  and  Enniskillen,  and  a  few  de- 
tached forts,  were  preserved  by  means  of  timely  in- 
telligence received  from  Sir  William  Cole  of  Ennis- 
killen. 

In  the  same  manner  Coleraine  and  Carrickfergus 
were  preserved.  Mr.  William  Eowley,  living  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Moneymore,  hearing  that  the  town 
had  been  seized,  hastened  to  Coleraine  with  the  alarm- 
ing news,  which  was  soon  confirmed  by  the  arrival  of 
great  numbers  of  the  pillaged  inhabitants  from  the 
counties  of  Derry  and  Antrim,  and  by  this  timely  no- 
tice the  important  post  of  Coleraine  was  secured,  and 
though  frequently  attacked,  it  was  gallantly  defended 
by  the  inhabitants  under  Colonel  Edward  Rowley, 
until  relieved  by  aid  from  Scotland,  and  proved  du- 
ring the  first  part  of  the  rebellion  an  asylum  for 
many  Protestants,  including  twenty  ministers. 

Carrickfergus,  the  only  fortified  town  on  the  eastern 


1G40.]  CARRICKFEIiGUS   SECURED.  101 

coast  of  Ulster,  was  also  preserved  from  an  attack  al- 
ready arranged  under  one  of  the  Macdonnels.     The 
news  of  the  insurrection   reached  this  place  on  the 
night  of   the   23d   of   October,   and   Colonel   Arthur 
Chichester,  the  governor,  took  immediate  measures  for 
saving  the  town  by  the  beating  of  drums  and  lighting 
beacons  on  the  hills,  thus  warning  the  inhabitants  of 
the  impending  danger.     The  next  day  the  Protestant 
inhabitants  from  the  surrounding  country  crowded  in, 
armed  with  pitchforks  and  such  weapons  as  they  could 
procure  in  their  haste.      At  first  the  insurrection  was 
thought  to  be  no  more  than  a  local  quarrel  between 
parties  of  the  English  and  the  Irish,  but  the  return 
of  the  scouts  who  had  been  sent  out  made  known  the 
fact  that  it  was  a  simultaneous  rising  of  the  Irish  Ro- 
manists against  the  British  power  and  people.     News 
of  the  rebellion   was  immediately  dispatched  to  the 
King  at  Edinburgh,  which  was  received  on  the  28th 
of  October,  it  being  the  first  intelligence  which  reached 
Scotland.     In  the  meantime  the  gentry  and  of&cers  at 
Carrickfergus  consulted  whether  they  should   remain 
and  defend  the  town   or  issue  out  to  meet  the  insur- 
gents, and   after   communicating  by  letter  with  Lord 
Montgomery,  in  the  county  of  Down,  he  directed  them 
to  muster  what  force  they  could  and  meet  him  at  Lis- 
burn  the  next  day. 

The  town  and  castle  of  Antrim  was  secured  on  the 
first  outbreak  by  the  prompt  action  of  Colonel  James 
Clotworthy,  who  was  acting  in  the  place  of  his  brother 
Sir  John,  who  was  in  London,  and  Castle  Norton,  at 
Templepatrick,  near  Antrim,  was  put  in  a  state  of  de- 
fence by  Captain  Henry  Upton.  The  town  of  Larne 
was  held  by  Captain  Agnew  and  the  neighboring  cas- 


102  COLKITTO.  [Ch.  YTL 

tie  of  Ballygellj  by  Mr.  James  Shaw.  The  lower 
part  of  the  county  of  Antrim  was  defended  by  Arch- 
ibald Stewart,  Esq.,  the  most  influential  Protestant  in 
that  extensive  district.  On  the  morning  of  the  24th 
of  October,  having  received  news  of  the  rebellion,  be 
came  to  the  church  at  Devock  and  informed  the  con- 
gregation of  the  danger,  and  immediately  raised  a  force 
of  eight  hundred  men  from  among  his  own  tenantry 
and  those  of  the  Earl  of  Antrim,  placing  garrisons  in 
the  church  of  Ballintoy  and  in  the  castle  of  Oldstone, 
near  Clough,  besides  establishing  posts  at  the  most 
important  points  in  the  open  country. 

In  order  to  draw  off  the  Roman  Catholics  of  the 
neighborhood  from  the  rebels  he  appointed  the  fa- 
mous Colkitto  (or  Alaster  Macdonnel)  to  a  captaincy 
in  his  own  regiment ;  and  when  a  party  of  horse  from 
Carrickfers^us  came  to  arrest  this  well  known  and 
influential  Romanist,  Mr.  Stewart  interposed  in  his 
behalf,  but  his  confidence  was  almost  immediately  be- 
trayed by  the  desertion  of  Colkitto  to  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic part}',  and  he  afterwards  became  the  cruel  and 
implacable  enemy  of  the  Antrim  Protestants. 

Belfast  and  Lisburn  were  preserved  by  the  courage 
and  prompt  action  of  Robert  Lawson,  a  merchant  of 
Londonderr}^  At  the  time  that  the  insurrection  broke 
out  Mr.  Lawson  was  on  his  way  to  Dub-in,  when  hear- 
ing of  the  rebellion  at  Newry  he  returned  to  Belfast, 
and  finding  the  inhabitants  in  the  utmost  consterua,- 
tion  he  passed  through  the  streets  with  a  drum,  calling 
upon  the  men  to  unite  with  him  in  defence  of  the 
place;  and  having  collected  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty  men,  on  the  25th  of  October,  the  second  day 
after  the  rebellion,  he  marched  to  Lisburn,  which  he 


1641.]  ROBERT   LAWSOX.  103 

found  deserted  by  the  garrison  and  most  of  tlie  inhab- 
itants. At  night  he  illuminated  the  market-house 
with  candles  and  stationed  sentries  at  many  points  of 
the  town  with  six  or  seven  lighted  matches  apiece,  in 
order  to  deceive  the  enemy  as  to  their  numbers.  The 
next  morning  the  rebels  appeared  before  the  town, 
and  Captain  Lawson,  selecting  forty -five  men,  made  a 
sally,  killing  some  and*  taking  many  prisoners.  On 
the  27th  the  garrison  and  inhabitants  returned  to  hear 
of  the  gallant  defence  of  the  town  by  Lawson. 

While  Captain  Lawson  was  thus  protecting  Lisburn, 
Colonel  Chichester  had  been  endeavorinof  to  effect  the 
proposed  junction  with  Lord  Montgomery  at  that  town. 
On  Monda_y,  the  25 th,  he  mustered  his  forces  in  a  field 
adjoining  Carrickfergus,  and  having  left  a  sufficient 
garrison  in  the  castle,  he  marched  with  the  remainder, 
amounting  to  about  three  hundred  horse  and  foot  to- 
wards  the   appointed   rendezvous.     They   arrived  at 
Belfast  in  the  afternoon,  where  they  were  joined  by  a 
reinforcement  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  from  An- 
trim.    On  their   march  they  met   with  one  of  Lord 
Antrim's   domestics,   hastening   from    Dublin   to   in- 
form his  lordship's  friends  in  the  north  of  the  state  of 
affairs  there.     From  him  they  obtained  the  welcome 
intelligence  of  the  preservation  of  the  metropolis  and 
the    seizure    of    the    principal    conspirators.      They 
remained  all  Monday  at  Belfast,  but  in  the  morning, 
receiving  information  of  a  meditated  attack  upon  Car- 
rickfergus, Colonel  Chichester  fell  back  for  the  sup- 
port of  that  important  post,  but  the  information  prov- 
ing incorrect,  he  returned,  and  on  \yednesday  effected 
a  junction  wtih  Lord  Montgomery,  who  had  advanced 
by  Drumbo.     Captain  Lawson,  in  view  of  his  late  gal- 


104  ACTIVITY  IN   DOWN".  [Cn.  VTT. 

lantrj,  received  a  commission  from  the  Pj  otestant  noble- 
men and  officers  assembled  at  Lisburn.  The  united 
forces  now  gathered  amounted  to  about  fifteen  hun- 
dred, but  undisciplined  and  inadequately  armed.  With 
the  exception  of  a  few  strong  places,  Antrim  was  in 
possession  of  the  rebels,  which  thej  held  until  June 
1642. 

While  the  Protestants  in  the  southern  portion  of  the 
county  of  Antrim  were  thus  occupied  in  providing 
places  of  security,  their  brethren  in  Down  were  not  in- 
active. Lords  Claneboy  and  Montgomery  stood  upon 
the  defensive,  and  effectually  checked  the  progress  of 
the  insurrection  in  the  adjoining  districts.  From 
Kewry,  however,  the  insurgents,  under  Con  Magennis, 
advanced  in  a  northerly  direction  towards  the  town  of 
Dromore,  where  the  news  of  the  rebellion  had  reached 
a  few  days  before.  On  the  reception  of  the  intelligence 
Captain  Matthews,  the  governor,  with  an  escort  of 
about  twenty  men,  had  marched  out  towards  Kewry 
to  gain  some  information  of  the  reported  rising,  and 
on  approaching  the  river  Bann  he  discovered  the  in- 
surgents, amounting  to  five  hundred,  advancing  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river ;  upon  demanding  their  pur- 
pose, they  boldly  avowed  that  it  was  to  "  fire  all  the 
Protestants  out  of  the  country."  Upon  receiving  this 
answer  Matthews  retreated  to  Dromore,  and  after  in- 
ducing the  bishop,  Dr.  Buck  worth,  to  remain  for  the 
encouragement  of  the  people,  he  collected  a  force  of 
one  hundred  and  eighty  foot,  with  which  he  boldly  at- 
tacked the  enemy,  now  near  the  town,  and,  without 
losing  a  man,  routed  them  completely,  with  a  loss  on 
their  side  of  several  hundred.  The  next  day  Colonel 
Chichester  arrived  with  a  reinforcement,  but  findin 


O 


1641.]  PROCLAMATION   OF   O  NEILL.  105 

0 

the  town  untenable  returned  to  Lisburn.  Mao'cnnis 
immediately  took  possession  and  treated  with  wanton 
cruelty  the  few  Protestants  who  had  ventured  to  remain. 
On  the  4th  of  November  O'Neill  and  Magennis  issued 
a  proclamation  from  Newry  "  to  all  Catholics  of  the 
Boman  party,  both  English  and  Irish,  within  the  king- 
dom of  Ireland,  we  wish  all  happiness,  freedom  of 
conscience,  and  victory  over  the  English  heretics  who 
have  for  a  long  time  tyrannized  over  our  bodies  and 
usurped  by  extortion  our  estates."  In  this  document 
they  set  forth  the  King's  commission,  dated  at  Edin- 
burgh, authorizing  them  to  take  up  arms  in  support  of 
the  royal  power  and  authority,  as  their  warrant,  which 
increased  their  numbers  greatly,  so  that  thirty  thousand 
men  joined  the  standard  of  revolt  three  weeks  from  its 
first  erection. 

From  this  period  all  moderation  was  abandoned. 
The  failure  of  the  attempt  on  Dublin  led  the  more 
moderate  of  the  rebels  to  vfithdraw  and  left  the  move- 
ment in  the  hands  of  O'Neill  and  his  fanatical  adhe- 
rents, who  soon  began  to  disregard  the  royal  injunc- 
tions and  to  carry  on  a  savage  war  of  extermination 
against  all  Protestants,  both  Scotch  and  English.  He 
encouraged  his  infuriated  followers  to  give  free  vent  to 
the  direful  passions  of  hatred  and  revenge  which  the 
Eomish  priesthood  had  for  years  been  fostering  in  their 
breasts  against  the  Protestants.  Prompted  thus  by  the 
priests  and  by  Ever  M'Mahon,  the  Romish  Bishop  of 
Down,  he  plunged  into  the  deepest  atrocities.  The 
result  was  one  of  the  most  fearful  massacres  on  rec- 
ord, in  which  no  condition,  age,  or  sex  was  spared. 
All  appeals  to  humanity  or  the  ties  of  blood  were  in 
vain ;  companions,  friends,  relations,  dealt  with  their 


106  ULSTER   A  FIELD   OF  BLOOD.  [Ch.  VIL 

own  hands  the  fatal  blow  ;  sons  pleading  for  their  pa- 
rents were  struck  down  with  the  w^ords  on  their  lips  ; 
the  tender  mother  was  made  the  witness  of  the  death 
of  her  child  ;  the  wife,  weeping  over  the  body  of  her 
mangled  husband,  experienced  a  death  no  less  horrid 
than  that  which  she  deplored.  Among  the  insurgents, 
women,  whose  feeble  minds  received  a  yet  stronger 
impression  of  religious  frenzy,  were  more  ferocious 
than  the  men  ;  and  children,  excited  by  the  example 
and  exhortation  of  their  parents,  stained  their  innocent 
age  with  the  blackest  deeds  of  human  butchery.  The 
sighs,  groans,  and  shrieks  of  the  victims  were  answered 
with — "  Spare  neither  man,  woman,  nor  child ;  the 
English  are  meat  for  dogs  ;  there  shall  not  be  one  drop 
of  English  blood  left  within  the  kingdom."  This  led 
to  terrible  retaliations,  one  of  which,  the  massacre  of 
Island magee,  has  been  represented  as  the  Urst  blood 
shed  in  the  rebellion,  as  perpetrated  hy  a  military 
force,  and  as  involving  the  death  of  more  than  three 
thousand  ;  whereas  it  was  a  local  act  of  revenge,  occa- 
sioned by  previous  acts  of  treachery  and  enmity,  and 
executed  by  country  people  with  the  aid  of  a  few  sol- 
diers, on  the  9th  of  January,  1642,  only  thirty  persons 
being  killed. 

Ulster  was  now  converted  into  a  "  field  of  blood." 
The  cruelties  of  the  Romanists  drew  down  upon  them, 
as  we  have  seen,  severe  retaliation  on  the  part  of  the 
betrayed  and  exasperated  Protestants.  Seldom  was 
any  quarter  given  by  the  rebels  to  those  who  fell  into 
their  hands  ;  so  that  during  the  winter  season  the 
greater  part  of  all  the  northern  counties  exhibited 
appalling  scenes  of  horrid  cruelty. 

The  evils  of  this  civil  war  were  aggravated  by  the 


1641.]  GREAT   MORTALITY.  107 

liorrors  of  famine  and  pestilence,  occasioned  by  the 
wanton  destruction  of  provisions  and  neglect  of  burial, 
the  ravages  of  wliicli,  as  stated,  are  almost  incredible, 
especiall}^  in  Coleraine.  The  following  account  of  its 
fatality  in  the  county  of  Antrim  alone  has  been  pre- 
served, and  though  probably  exaggerated  will  convey 
some  idea  of  its  malignity  : — "  The  Lord  sent  a  pesti- 
lential fever,  which  swept  away  innumerable  people,  in- 
somuch that  in  Coleraine  there  died  in  four  months,  by 
computation,  six  thousand  ;  in  Carrickfergus,  two  thou- 
sand five  hundred  ;  in  Belfast  and  Malone,  above  two 
thousand  ;  in  Lisnegarvey,  eight  hundred ;  and  in  An- 
trim and  other  places  a  proportionable  number."  A 
minister  who  resided  in  Coleraine  during  the  whole 
course  of  the  rebellion,  says: — "In  four  months,  the 
mortality  beginning  with  the  spring,  there  died  an 
hundred  a  week  constantly,  and  sometimes  an  hun- 
dred and  fifty,  by  just  account  taken  by  Henry  Beres- 
ford,  gentleman,  one  of  the  last  that  closed  that  black 
list ;  so  that  two  thousand  died  in  a  short  space." 

Though  all  classes  of  Protestants  were  equally  ex- 
posed to  the  persecution,  yet  the  clergy  were  especially 
marked  by  the  priests  as  the  first  victims  of  their  fury, 
and  especially  was  the  Bible  an  object  of  their  rage,  which 
was  torn,  burnt,  trampled  on,  and  treated  with  all  pos- 
sible indignity,  saying,  "a  plague  on  it ;  this  book  hath 
bred  all  the  quarrel  ;"  and  as  they  were  burning,  ex- 
claiming that  it  was  ''  hell  fire  that  was  burning,"  and 
wishing  that  they  had  "  all  the  Bibles  in  Christendom, 
that  they  might  use  them  so." 

About  thirty  ministers  were  massacred  in  one  small 
part  of  Ulster,  while  many  more  died  in  extreme  wretch- 
edness.    Bishop  Bedell,  of  Kilmore,  was  spared  by  the 


108  SUFFERINGS    OF   THE   MINISTERS.  [Ch.  VIT. 

rebels,  on  account  of  liis  benevolencs  and  known  de- 
votion to  the  Irish  interest.  He  was  tlie  onl}^  English- 
man left  undisturbed  in  the  county  of  Cavan.  He  even 
furnished  an  asylum  to  others,  who  filled  his  house, 
outbuildings,  church,  and  cburcbyard.  This  contin- 
ued for  eight  weeks  after  tbe  breaking  out  of  the  re- 
bellion, when  more  violent  measures  were  resorted  to 
bj  the  Irisli  leaders,  and  he  was  removed  as  a  prisoner 
to  Loch  water  Castle.  After  three  weeks'  imprisonment 
in  this  wretched  tower,  situated  in  the  middle  of  a  lake, 
he  and  his  family  were  released.  But  they  were  not 
permitted  to  leave  the  county,  but  resided  in  the  house 
of  a  Protestant  minister.  While  residing  there  he  was 
seized  with  his  last  sickness,  which  continued  to  in- 
crease, until  on  the  7th  of  Februar}^,  1642,  he  fell  asleep 
in  the  Lord  and  entered  into  his  rest.  Before  his  death 
■  he  had  requested  that  he  might  be  buried  by  the  side 
of  his  wife  in  the  churchyard  of  Kilmore,  which  was 
after  some  hesitation  granted.  The  Irish  did  him  un- 
usual honor  at  his  burial ;  they  discharged  a  volley  of 
shot  over  his  grave,  and  cried  out,  "  Requiescat  in  pace 
ultimus  anglorum."  •  According  to  another  account, 
(not  given  by  Bishop  Burnet,)  a  Popish  priest  said 
on  the  same  occasion,  "O,  sit  anima  mea  cum  Be- 
dello !" 

The  war  was  worst  in  Ulster,  its  excesses  beins^  con- 
demned  even  by  the  Papists  and  the  rebels  of  the  other 
provinces,  where  there  was  less  to  provoke  fanatical 
fury.  The  rebels  boasted  to  Dr.  Maxwell,  Bedell's 
successor,  when  a  prisoner  in  their  hands,  that  by  the 
month  of  March  they  had  slain  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
four  thousand  Protestants  ;  and  a  printed  book,  by  an 
Irish  Jesuit,  published  in  1645,  admits  that  one  hun- 


1641.]         PRESBYTERIANS  DEFEND  THEMSELVES.         109 

dred  and  fifty  tliousand  heretics  had  been  cut  off  in 
four  years.  The  lowest  estimate  supposes  thirty-seven 
thousand  to  have  died  the  first  year. 

Thus  the  Presbj-terian  interest  in  Ulster  was  almost 
totallv  destroved.  Protestant  prelates  had  commenced 
the  work  of  compelling  the  greater  part  of  the  Presby- 
terians to  flee  to  Scotland.  But  what  appeared  to  be 
the  ruin  proved  to  be  the  preservation  of  the  Church, 
while  they  who  had  been  the  foremost  to  persecute 
were  the  first  to  suffer.  For,  on  the  bishops  and  other 
dignified  clergy  the  Eoman  Catholics  vented  their  rage 
and  indignation  ;  and  while  the  Scots  were,  in  the  first 
instance  spared,  their  Episcopal  persecutors  were  in 
their  turn  compelled  to  abandon  their  properties,  and 
fly  for  refuge  to  England. 

As  a  body,  the  Presbyterians  suffered  less  by  the 
ravages  of  the  rebellion  than  any  other  class.  The 
more  influential  of  their  ministers  and  the  principal 
part  of  their  gentry  had  previously  retired  to  Scot- 
land, to  escape  the  tyranny  of  Strafford  and  the  sever- 
ities of  the  bishops,  and  were  thus  providentially  pre- 
served. Those  who  remained  in  the  country  were  at 
first  unmolested  by  the  Irish,  in  conformity  with  the 
royal  commission.  Their  temporary  preservation  gave 
them  time  to  procure  arms  and  to  take  other  necessary 
measures  to  protect  themselves  against  the  storm  whieh 
they  saw  approaching.  When  the  rebels,  therefore, 
abandoned  their  professed  neutrality  and  fell  upon 
them  as  furiously  as  upon  the  English,  they  were  pre- 
pared for  the  attack.  When  they  associated  together 
in  sufficient  numbers,  they  were  generally  enabled  to 
maintain  their  ground,  and  frequently  repulsed  the  as- 
sailants with  loss.     But  when,  trusting  to  the  profes- 


110  PERFIDY   OF  THE   REBELS.  [Ch.  VII. 

sions  of  tlieir  Irisli  neighbors,  they  relaxed  their  vigi- 
lance and  continued  unarmed,  thej  seldom  failed  to 
suffer  tlie  penalty  of  their  misplaced  confidence.  One 
instance  may  suffice  to  prove  the  truth  of  this  observa- 
tion. Mr.  Eobert  Stewart  of  the  Irry,  near  Stewarts- 
town,  in  the  county  of  Tj^rone,  a  relation  of  the  Cas- 
tlestewart  family,  and  married  to  the  sfrand-dans^hter 
of  the  outlawed  Earl  of  Tyrone,  had,  on  the  first  alarm 
of  the  rebellion,  collected  and  armed  about  six  hun- 
dred Scots.  With  this  force  he  could  easily  have  de- 
fended the  whole  of  the  surrounding  country.  Being 
assured,  however,  by  his  Irish  relations  that  none  of 
the  Scots  should  suffer  an}^  molestation,  he  was  induced 
in  a  few  days  to  dismiss  his  followers  and  take  back 
their  arms.  But  the  very  night  on  which  they  reached 
their  homes  the  greater  number  of  them  were  mur- 
dered by  their  perfidious  enemies. 

The  public  ordinances  of  religion  were,  of  course,  in- 
terrupted, the  ministers  killed  or  fied,  the  churches 
burned  or  seized  by  the  papists.  But  neither  the  re- 
straints to  which  they  were  subjected  under  the  bishops 
nor  their  present  destitution  weakened  their  attachment 
to  their  church.  They  retained  their  religious  princi- 
ples as  firml}^  and  successfully  as  they  did  their  lives 
and  property  until  the  arrival  of  succor  from  Scotland  ; 
and  the  return  of  their  banished  brethren,  after  peace 
had  been  restored,  enabled  them  to  revive  their  church 
in  Ulster  under  more  favorable  circumstances  than 
at  its  first  plantation. 


CHAPTER    VIII, 

1641,  1642. 

The  necessary  steps  Laving  been  taken  to  secure  the 
capital,  the  Lords  Justices  sent  messengers  to  inform 
the  King  in  Edinburgh  and  the  Parhamcnt  in  England 
of  their  perilous  position.  Commissioners  were  also 
sent  by  sea  to  Ulster,  the  rebels  holding  the  overland 
route,  empowering  Captain  Arthur  Chichester  and  Sir 
Arthur  Tyringham  to  take  command  of  all  the  forces 
in  the  county  of  Antrim,  and  urging  Lords  Chichester, 
Claneboy,  and  Montgomery  to  use  their  best  efforts  to 
suppress  the  rebellion.  On  the  7th  of  November  dis- 
patches were  received  from  the  King  promising  the 
northern  Protestants  immediate  support.  The  princi- 
pal gentlemen  of  Ulster  were  commissioned  to  raise 
troops  against  the  rebels,  and  Sir  John  Clotworthy  re- 
turned to  Antrim  to  share  in  the  perils  and  fatigues  of 
the  war.  Arms  and  ammunition  were  abundantly 
provided,  so  that  in  a  short  time  the  Protestant  leaders 
in  Ulster  were  fully  prepared  to  meet  the  rebels.  In 
the  meantime  O'Neill  reduced  the  castle  of  Lurgan, 
after  a  gallant  defense  by  Sir  William  Brownlow^,  who 
capitulated  on  condition  of  his  being  permitted  to  re- 
tire with  his  family  and  property,  which  condition  was 
most  treacherously  violated,  his  servants  being  stripped 
and  plundered,  some  of  them  killed,  and  himself  and 
family  thrown  into  prison.  Being  repulsed  in  an  at- 
tack upon  Lisburn  by  Sir  Arthur  Tyringham  and  Sir 


112  THE   LAGAN   FOKCES.  [Ch.  VIII 

George  Kawdon,  O'Neill  withdrew  to  the  northwest  of 
Ulster,  but  was  there  again  disappointed,  capturing 
but  lev:  places  of  little  importance.  In  the  beginning 
cf  December  he  succeeded  in  taking  Strabane,  plun- 
dering and  burning  the  town  and  holding  the  castle. 
He  remained  in  the  castle  with  his  forces,  making  oc- 
casional incursions  through  the  adjoining  country,  but 
becoming  enamored  with  lady  Strabane,  he  carried  her 
to  his  castle  at  Caledon,  where  they  were  afterwards 
married. 

This  part  of  the  country  was  successfully  defended 
by  the  Lagan  forces,  a  thousand  were  raised  in  Done- 
gal and  Tj-rone,  called  from  the  Lagan,  the  name  of 
the  district  between  the  Foyle  and  the  Swilly.  These 
forces  were  commanded  by  Sir  William  and  Sir  Robert 
Stewart,  under  the  King's  commission.  Though  un- 
able to  protect  Strabane,  they  garrisoned  Newton-Stew- 
art and  Omagh,  and  relieved  CastleW^ugher  in  Tyrone, 
held  by  the  Rev.  Archibald  Areskine  against  Phelim 
0'  Neill  and  Rory  Mnguire,  who  had  invested  it.  Driv- 
en from  Augher  the  rebels  next  invested  Castlederg 
in  the  same  county,  from  which  they  were  repulsed  by 
Sir  Robert  Stewart.  In  the  meantime  Sir  William 
Stewart,  with  another  portion  of  the  Lagan  forces, 
inarched  to  Kilmacrenan,  in  Donegal,  where  the  rebels 
had  early  taken  possession  of  Sir  William's  castle, 
plundering  his  towns  and  scattering  the  Protestant 
inhabitants ;  another  party,  under  Captains  Maxwell 
and  George  Stewart,  recovered  Ramelton  and  its  castle, 
and  supported  by  the  neighboring  garrison  of  Derry, 
effectually  checked  the  progress  of  the  rebels  in  that 
quarter.  The  city  of  Derry  was  abundantly  provi.led 
with  defenders,  but  deficient  in  supplies  and  am  muni- 


1641.1   SUPPLIES   FROM   ENGLAND   AND   SCOTLAND.     113 

tion,  which  occasioned  great  privations.  The  leading 
men  here,  were  tlie  governor,  Sir  John  Vaughau,  the 
mayor  Robert  Thornton,  Captain  Lawsou,  who  has 
been  already  mentioned,  and  his  brother-in-law,  Alder- 
man Henry  Osborn. 

These  commanders  entered  into  a  mutual  "  league" 
for  the  protection  of  the  city  and  the  surrounding 
country.  They  repaired  the  ramparts,  built  ^arracks 
for  the  soldiers  within  the  walls,  and  sent  word  of 
their  situation  to  the  King  in  Edinburg,  to  their  land- 
lords, the  corporation  of  the  city  of  London,  who  sent 
them  ordnance,  and  to  the  Lords  Justices  at  Dublin, 
from  whom  they  received  arms  and  ammunition.  Here, 
suffering  many  privations,  they  spent  the  winier. 

The  state  of  affairs  in  Ulster  now  attracted  univer- 
sal attention,  and  as  soon  as  the  King  had  informed  the 
Scottish  Parliament  of  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebel- 
lion, they  ordered  an   examination  of  the  shipping  on 
their  western  coast,  to  see  how  many  men  could  be 
transported  to  Ulster  ;   upon  further  information  they 
offered  a  supply  of  three  thousand  stand  of  arms  and 
ten  thousand  men  for  the  relief  of  Ireland.     But  feel- 
ing their  inability  to  give  full  assistance  they  opened 
negotiations  with  the  English  Parliament.     The  Com- 
mons had  already,  from  the  news  which  0'  Connolly 
had  communicated  of  the  rebellion,  voted  money  and 
a  levy  of  men,  but  the  critical  condition   of  Ireland 
coming  to  their  knowledge  they   increased  the  sup- 
plies. °0n  the  10th  of  December,  the  first  conference 
on  this  subject  took  place  in  London  between  a  com- 
mittee from  the  two  Houses  of  Parliament,  on  the  one 
hand,  and  commissioners  sent  up  from  Scotland  on  the 
other,  but  .these  negotiations  were  embarrassed  by  the 


114  ARRIVAL   OF  SCOTCH   REGIMENTS.        [Ch.  VIII. 

mutaal  jealoasies  of  King  and  Parliament;  but  at 
length  Charles  issued  his  commission,  dated  Feb.  8th, 
1642,  for  ten  thousand  men,  of  which  twenty-five 
hundred  were  to  be  sent  at  once  and  occupy  Carrick- 
fergus,  Avhile  the  rest  were  to  follow  as  soon  as  possible 
and  take  possession  of  Coleraine. 

The  first  draft  was  composed  of  detachments  fi'om 
seven  Scotch  regiments  (viz :  Glencairn's,  Argyle's,  Eg- 
lington's,  Sinclair's,  Home's,  Monroe's  and  Lindsay's,) 
under  the  command  of  Major  General  Robert  Monroe, 
an  able  and  experienced  officer.  They  reached  their 
rendezvous  on  the  western  coast  of  Scotland  about  the 
middle  of  March,  but  on  account  of  various  deten- 
tions they  did  not  reach  Carrickfergus  till  the  loth  of 
April,  when  they  immediately  relieved  the  regiments 
of  Conway  and  Chichester,  who  moved  to  Belfast. 

With  these  regiments,  and  those  of  Claneboy  and 
Montgomery  united  to  his  own,  (except  a  garrison  of 
eight  hundred  left  at  Carrickfergus,)  Monroe  attacked 
the  rebels  in  the  woods  of  Kilwarlin,  where,  under 
the  command  of  Con  Magennis,  they  held  an  impor- 
tant pass  on  the  road  to  Newry.  After  a  short  skir- 
mish, the  rebels  were  put  to  flight ;  and  the  British, 
following  the  example  which  the  Irish  had  too  often 
set  in  previous  encounters  of  refusing  quarter,  cru- 
elly and  unjustifiably  put  to  death  all  who  fell  into 
their  hands. 

On  Saturday,  the  30th  of  April,  bath  divisions  of 
the  army  met  at  this  pass,  and  having  defeated  an- 
other body. of  the  rebels  at  Loughbricklaud,  they 
marched  to  ISTewry,  which  had  been  in  possession  of 
the  Irish  for  six  months.  The  town,  being  imperfectly 
fortified,  was  immediately  taken  by  Monroe,  and,  with 


1642. J  THEY   DEFEAT   THE    REBELS.  116 

the  exception  of  a  few  houses,  was  given  up  to  plunder. 
The  castle  held  out  for  two  days,  but  on  the  3d  of 
May  it  was  surrendered  to  the  British.  In  these  bat- 
tles the  British  troops  retaliated  with  shocking  se- 
verit}'  upon  the  Irish,  which  greatly  exasperated  the 
rebels  and  increased  their  cruelty  to  the  Protestants. 
After  resting  for  two  days  at  Kewry,  leaving  a  garri- 
son under  command  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Sinclair 
and  Major,  afterwards  Sir  James  Turner,  Monroe 
marched  to  Armagh,  hoping  to  surprise  Sir  Phelini 
O'Neill,  but  he  having  notice  of  his  approach,  and 
exasperated  at  the  loss  of  Newry,  set  fire  to  Armagh, 
with  its  ancient  cathedral,  murdered  a  vast  number 
of  Protestant  inhabitants  and  prisoners,  and  withdrew 
to  Charlemonr,  most  of  his  followers  taking  refuge  in 
the  bogs  and  mountains  of  Tj^rone. 

The  Scots,  returning  from  Newry  to  Carrickfergus, 
encountered,  on  the  8th  of  May,  a  storm  of  unparalleled 
severity,  of  which  we  have  a  graphic  account  in  the 
diary  of  Major  Turner,  one  of  Monroe's  officers,  after- 
wards famous  as  a  military  persecutor  of  the  Presby- 
terians in  Scotland. 

On  Monroe's  return  to  Carrickfero-us  he  found  wait- 
ing  his  arrival  a  messenger  sent  by  sea  from  Derry,  to 
acquaint  him  with  the  distressed  situation  of  that  city, 
and  to  entreat  supplies  of  arms  and  ammunition.  Sir 
Phelim  O'Neill  knowing  their  cridcal  position,  and  that 
Monroe  had  returned  to  Carrickfergus,  marched  from 
Charlemont  to  Strabane,  with  the  view  of  expelling 
the  Protestants  from  Donegal  and  Tyrone,  and,  if 
possible,  taking  possession  of  Derry.  But  the  Lagan 
forces,  under  the  command  of  the  two  Stewarts,  not 
only  drove  him  back,  and  relieved  several  besieged 


116      THE  EARL  OF  ANTRIM'S   TREACHERY.        [Cn.  Till. 

places  in  tbe  county  Derxy,  but  recovered  Strabane, 
thus  in  a  great  measure  breaking  the  power  of  the 
rebels  in  the  northwest  of  Ulster. 

It  appears  from  Monroe's  correspondence  v,"ith  Gen- 
eral Leslie,  at  Edinburgh,  that  the  deficiency  of  his 
supplies  not  only  hindered  his  assisting  others,  but  di- 
minished the  efficiency  of  his  own  troops,  some  of 
whom  he  was  compelled  to  quarter  on  the  county. 
About  the  same  time  he  received  advances  from  tbe 
Earl  of  Antrim,  one  of  the  first  movers  in  the  re- 
bellion, but  who  had  withdrawn  from  it  on  the  dis- 
covery of  the  plot  at  Dublin,  and  was  negotiating  with 
botli  parties  at  his  castle  of  Dunluce.  Here,  on  the 
one  hand,  he  held  secret  interviews  with  O'Neill,  and 
occasionally  mingled  with,  the  insurgents,  among  whom 
his  brother  Alexander,  afterwards  the  third  Earl  of 
Antrim,  was  a  most  influential  leader ;  on  the  other 
hand,  he  professed  sympathy  with  the  plundered  Brit- 
ish, and  officiously  sought  to  relieve  their  distresses. 
Eemoving  to  another  of  his  castles,  at  Grlenarm,  only 
twelve  miles  from  Carrickfergus,  he  invited  Monroe 
to  meet  him  there,  which  he,  knowing  his  double  deal- 
ings, answered  in  June  by  marching  thither  with  his 
forces  and  Sir  John  Clotworthy's  regiment,  but  find- 
ing Antrim  gone  again  to  Dunluce,  he  burnt  Glen- 
arm,  and  proceeded  to  the  north,  where  he  was 
joined  by  new  levies  from  Scotland,  chiefly  belonging 
to  Argyle's  regiment.  With  this  increased  force 
he  returned  to  Dunluce,  and  compelled  the  Earl  of 
Antrim  to  surrender,  leaving  his  lieutenant  colonel  to 
command  the  castle.  He  placed  his  prisoner  in  Car- 
rickfergus, at  the  same  time  garrisoning  other  forts 
which  had  belono-^d  to  Antrim  with   the  soldiers  of 


[1642.  O'NEILL   DEFEATED,  117 

Argyle,  the  hereditary  foe  of  the  Macdonnels,  and 
after  driving  the  rebels  from  the  north  of  the  country 
across  the  Bann,  returned  with  great  boot}^  in  cattle 
to  his  head -quarters. 

Meantime  O'N'eill  was  joined  by  fugitives  from 
Antrim,  under  the  command  of  Colkitto,  and  know- 
ing the  distress  of  the  Lagan  forces,  marched  into 
Donegal  to  meet  the  Stewarts.  Both  parties  met  at 
Glenmackwin,  near  Raphoe,  and  after  the  severest 
conflict  which  had  taken  place  in  Ulster,  the  rebels 
were  totally  routed,  with  a  loss,  it  is  said,  of  five  hun- 
dred mcD. 

Soon  after  this  decisive  victory,  Monro,  with  Con- 
way, Montgomery  and  Claneboy,  reentered  Armagh, 
took  DungannoD,  burnt  O'Neill's  own  castle  at  Cale- 
don,  and  laid  seige  to  Charlemont,  the  only  place  of 
strength  still  possessed  by  the  rebels  in  this  part  of 
the  country,  but  they  were  compelled  to  raise  the  seige 
for  want  of  ammunition  and  provisions,  and  return  to 
Carrickfergus.  While  these  advantages  were  gained 
by  land.  Sir  John  Clotworthy  defeated  the  rebels  in 
several  skirmishes  on  Lougli  jSTeagh,  the  command  of 
which  had  been  intrusted  to  him  by  a  special  resolu- 
tion of  the  English  Commons.  They  authorized  him 
to  provide  vessels  for  the  defence  of  the  Lough  and 
its  extensive  line  of  coast,  and  to  man  them  with  a 
competent  force,  who  were  to  be  in  the  pay  of  the 
Parliament.  He  accordingly  built  a  large  vessel,  called 
the  Sydney,  of  about  twenty  tons  burden,  and  furn- 
ished with  six  brass  guns  ;  and  about  a  dozen  smaller 
boats,  carrying  sixty  men  each,  and  capable  of  trans- 
porting a  thousand  men  to  any  part  of  the  Lough. 
These  he  T^laccd  under  the  command  of  his  relative, 


118  THE   EEBELLION   QUELLED.  [Ch.  YIIL 

Captain  Laogford,  and  of  Owen  0'  Connolly,  before 
mentioned,  who  had  returned  with  him  from  London, 
and  upon  whom  he  also  conferred  the  command  of  a 
compan}'  in  his  regiment  of  foot. 

While  in  this  port,  Colonel  Clotworthy  gained  sev- 
eral important  advantages  over  the  rebels,  driving 
them  from  certain  intrenchments  which  they  had 
formed  upon  the  western  side  of  the  Lough,  routing 
Sir  Phelim  0'  Neill,  with  the  loss  of  his  Lieutenant 
Colonel,  one  of  the  0' Quins,  several  officers,  and 
about  sixty  men,  and  breaking  up  an  encampment  of 
the  rebels  at  Moneymore,  where  he  saved  the  lives  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty  English  and  Scotch  prisoners, 
whom  they  were  just  preparing  to  murder.  Sir  John 
also  erected  a  fort  at  Toome,  upon  the  Bann,  wljich 
gave  him  the  command  of  that  river,  and  enabled  his 
regiment  to  make  incursions  at  their  pleasure  into  the 
county  of  Derry.  To  retaliate  these  inroads,  the  Irish 
garison  at  Charlemont  also  built  several  boats,  in 
which  they  sailed  down  the  Blackwater  into  the  Lough, 
and  plundered  the  coast  in  various  directions.  Sev- 
eral skirmishes  occurred  between  these- boats  and  those 
of  Sir  John  Clotworthy,  until  finally  they  were  entire- 
ly routed  with  a  loss  of  sixty  men,  and  their  boats, 
with  a  large  number  of  prisoners,  were  convej^ed  in 
triumph  to  Antrim.  These  vigorous  proceedings  re- 
stored partial  peace  to  Ulster ;  the  Papists  despaired 
of  resisting  the  British  forces ;  and  the  rebel  chiefs 
resolved  to  disband  their  followers  and  seek  safety  for 
themselves  on  the  continent  or  in  the  Highlands  of 
Scotland. 

This  cessation  of  hostilities,  though  partial  and  tem- 
porary, paved  the  way  for  the  reestablish ment  of  re- 


1642]  STATE   OF  THE   PROTESTANTS.  119 

ligion.     The  Episcopal  Churcli,  whicli   had   been  so 
intolerant   in   the  hour   of  her   prosperity,   was   now 
overthrown  and   desolate,  and  out  of  her  ruins  speed- 
ily arose  the  simpler  fabric  of  Presbvterianism.     Few 
of  her  clergy  and  not  one  of  her  prelates  remained  in 
the  province.     Her  last  bishop  who  withdrew  was  Les- 
lie of  Kaphoe;  after  gallantlj^  defending  the  Episco- 
pal castle  which  he  had  erected,  and  relieving  several 
besieged  castles  in  the  district,  he  retired  to  Scotland 
in  the  end  of  June,  and  thence  to  England,  where  he 
joined  the  royalists,  and  was  made  bishop  of  Clogher 
after   the   restoration.      Few   of  the   Protestant   laity 
were  conscientious   prelatists.     Even  under  the  des- 
potic sway  of  Strafford  and  the  northern  bishops,  the 
reader  has  seen  that  little  more  than  a  reluctant  and 
insincere  conformity  was  effected  by  all  their  severities. 
When  this  oppressive  constraint  was  removed,  the  ma- 
jority did  not  hesitate  to  declare  their  approbation  of 
the  Scriptural  forms  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  while 
many  who    were  in  principle   Episcopalians  were  at 
this   critical   conjuncture    disposed    to    abandon    that 
church,  when    they   beheld  its   prelates    and    higher 
clergy  in  the   sister  kingdom  opposed   to  the   great 
cause  of  civil  liberty.     T'ne  number  of  those  attached 
to  Presbytery  was  still  further  increased  by  the  return 
of  the  original  Scottish  sj3ttlers  or  their  descendants. 
On  these  accounts,  the  great  majority  of  the  Protest- 
ants in  Ulster  were  now  decidedly  in  favor  of  Presby- 
terianism,    and   desirous    that  the   rebuilding   of  the 
church  in  Ulster  might  proceed  upon  that  Scriptural 
foundation. 

The  opening  thus  made  was  opportunely  filled  by 
the  arrival  of  the  troops  from  Scotland  with  their  regi- 


120  AEMY   CHAPLAINS.  [Ch.  YIH. 

mental  chaplains.  By  these  prudent  and  zealous  men 
the  foundations  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  were  once 
more  laid  in  Ulster.  By  their  agency  the  Presbyterian 
Church  assumed  that  regular  and  organized  form  which 
she  still  retains ;  and  from  this  period  the  history  of 
her  ministers,  her  congregations,  and  her  ecclesiastical 
courts,  as  they  now  exist,  can  be  traced  in  uninter- 
rupted succession.  The  doctrines  taught  by  these 
brethren  she  still  zealously  .inculcates  and  upholds; 
the  forms  of  worship  they  introduced  continue  to  be 
strictly  observed,  and  the  government  and  discipline 
they  founded  remain  in  all  essential  points  unaltered 
at  the  present  time.  Of  the  ministers  who  were  instru- 
mental in  rebuilding  Presbyterianism  in  Ulster,  Hugh 
Cunnii.gham,  Chaplain  to  Earl  Glencairn's  regiment  ; 
Thomas  Peebles,  to  Eglinton's  ;  John  Baird,  to  Ar- 
gyle's  ;  James  Simpson,  to  Sinclair's — settled  in  Ire- 
land ;  while  John  Scott,  Chaplain  to  Monro's  own  regi- 
ment, and  John  Aird,  to  Home's  (or  Lindsay's),  seem 
to  have  returned  to  Scotland.  The  only  other  minis- 
ter who  is  known  to  have  accompanied  the  army  is  one 
with  whose  life  and  character  the  reader  is  already  fa- 
miliar, John  Livingston,  who  was  attached  by  order 
of  the  Scottish  council  to  Sir  John  Clotw^orthy's  regi- 
ment, in  Antrim.  He  describes  the  religious  state  of 
Ulster  as  sadly  changed  since  his  removal,  yet  some 
few  were  in  "  a  very  lively  condition." 

The  first  step  taken  by  these  chaplains  after  the  re- 
turn of  the  army  from  Newry,  and  its  settlement  in 
quarters  at  Car  rick  fergus,  was  the  erection  of  a  session 
in  each  regiment,  with  the  concurrence  of  the  general  and 
the  colonels,  choosing  as  elders  godly  officers,  of  whom 
there  were  many  in  the  Scottish  army.   Having  consti- 


1642.]  ACTIOX    OF   THE   PRESBYTERY.  121 

tuted  sessions  in  four  regiments  then  at  headquarters, 
viz.,  Argyle's,  Eglinton's,  Glencairn's,  and  Home's, 
they  organiz-d  a  Presbytery  at  Carrickfergus  on  the 
10th  of  June,  1642. 

This  meeting,  memorable  as  the  first  regularly  con- 
stitutes. Presbytery  held  in  Ireland,  was  attended  by 
five  ministers,  viz.,  Messrs.  Cunningham,  Baird,  Pee- 
bles, Scott  and  Aird,  (Mr.  Simpson  being  at  Newry 
with  his  regiment,   and  Livingston  at  Antrim,)  and 
by  four  ruling  elders  from  the  four  sessions  already 
erected.      Baird  preached,  by  previous  appointment, 
on  Psalm  61,  (from  ver^e  18  to  end.)     Peebles  was 
made  clerk,    and   so   continued   nearly   thirty  years, 
until  his  death.     Each   minister  produced  his  act  of 
admission  to  his  charge  or  regiment,  in  virtue  of  which 
he  sat  as  a  member  of  Presbytery  ;  and  the  ruling  eld- 
ers, in  like  manner,  submitted  their  commissions  from 
their  respective  sessions.     They  authorized  some  of 
the  brethren  to  confer  with  the  colonels  of  those  regi- 
ments in  which  there  was  as  yet  no  sessions,  in  order 
that  these  courts  might  be  forthwith  constituted.    They 
enjoined  each  minister  to  commence  a  regular  course 
of  examination  and  catechetical  instruction  in  his  regi- 
mental charge.     They  resolved  to  hold,  for  a  time  at 
least,  weekly  meetings,  and  to  open  each  meeting  with  a 
discourse  by  one  of  the  brethren,  choosing  as  the  sub- 
ject of  their  Presbyterial  exercises  the  book  of  Isaiah  , 
and  they  concluded  with  appointing  a  fast  to  be  ob- 
served the  ibllowing  week,  in  reference  to  the  state  of 
the  Church  in  Germany,  Bohemia,  England  and  Ire- 
land. 

At  this  meeting  they  also  wrote  to  Lords  Claneboy 
and  Montgomery  to  join  them,  with  their  regimental 

6 


122       THE  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY   PETITIONED.     [Ch.  YIII. 

chaplains.  The  answers  from  these  noblemen,  once  the 
tools  of  Strafford,  were  most  favorable,  expressing  their 
willingness  to  have  their  chaplains  regularly  tried  and 
admitted  as  ministers  to  their  respective  regiments, 
which  was  soon  after  done  bj  the  Presbytery.  These 
two  nobkmen  did  not  long  survive  their  junction  with 
the  Presbytery,  both  dying  within  a  year. 

Applications  now  poured  in  from  the  adjoining  par- 
ishes for  organization  and  supplies,  which  were  granted, 
first,  to  Ballymena,  Antrim,  Cairncastle,  Templepat- 
rick,  CarrickfergQs,  Larne  and  Belfast,  in  the  county 
of  Antrim  ;  and  to  Ballywater,  Newtonards,  Holy- 
wood,  Bangor,  Portaferry,  Donaghadee,  Killilagh  and 
Comber,  in  the  county  of  Down. 

It  was  soon  found  that  without  assistance  from  Scot- 
land, it  would  be  impossible  to  afford  all  these  places 
adequate  supplies  of  preaching.  Accordingly,  the  peo- 
ple agreed  to  petition  the  General  Assembly  for  a  sup- 
ply of  ministers  ;  and  several  of  the  parishes,  where  the 
brethren,  now  alive  in  Scotland,  had  officiated  before 
the  persecutions  of  Strafford  and  Leslie,  desirous  of 
obtaining  once  more  the  services  of  their  beloved  pas- 
tors, resolved  to  make  special  application  to  the  As- 
sembly to  permit  these  ministers  to  accept  of  calls  from 
Ireland.  Accordingly,  the  parishes  of  Bangor  and 
Ballywater  sent  a  petition  to  the  Greneral  Assembl}^ 
which  met  at  St.  Andrews  in  July,  1642,  signed  by 
forty-one  heads  of  families,  praying  for  the  restoration 
of  their  old  pastors,  Baird  and  Hamilton. 

Another  and  more  general  petition  from  the  Presby- 
terians of  Down  and  Antrim,  signed  by  two  hundred 
and  twenty-five  persons,  was  sent  down  at  the  same 
time,  setting  forth  in  affecting  terms  their  distressed 


1642.]  SCOTCH   MINISTERS   SENT   OVER.  123 

condition  and  destitution  of  the  divine  ordinances. 
This  petition  was  granted  bj  the  appointment  of  six 
ministers  to  spend  a  year  in  Ireland,  each  four  months, 
and  two  by  two.  The  three  pair  thus  appointed  were 
Blair  of  St.  Andrews  and  Hamilton  of  Dumfries,  Eob- 
ert  Eamsaj  of  Glasgow  and  John  McClelland  of  Kir- 
cudbright, Eobert  Baillie  of  Glasgow  College  and  John 
Livingston  of  Stranraer. 


CHAPTER     IX. 

1642,  1643. 

According  to  the  order  of  the  General  Assembly, 
Robert  Blair  and  James  Hamilton  revisited  Ulster  in 
September,  1642,  and  having  presented  their  commis- 
sion, in  conjunction  with  the  Irish  Assembly  they  pro- 
ceeded to  organize  churches  throughout  the  province. 
The  seed  which  had  been  sown  in  former  j^ears  now 
began  to  bear  fruit.  Great  numbers -flocked  from  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  country,  declaring" their  attachment 
to  the  Presbyterian  Church  and  a  wish  that  it  might  be 
established. 

The  Presbytery  were  not  hasty  in  their  action  in 
organizing  churches,  but  admitted  none  who  did  not 
heartily  approve  of  the  Presbyterian  system,  or  were 
unable  to  state  the  reasons  of  their  approbation.  Who- 
ever had  been  guilty  of  immoral  conduct,  or  had  taken 
the  Black  Oath  or  conformed  to  prelacy,  were  required 
to  make  public  confession  of  their  sin  and  profession 
of  repentance.  On  these  terms  many  of  the  Episcopal 
clergy  were  received  as  preachers,  but  not  as  members 
of  the  Presbytery  till  they  had  been  called  and  in- 
stalled in  congregations.  From  a  narrative  of  Mr.  Blair 
we  learn  something  of  his  proceedings  during  this 
visit.  It  was  his  custom  to  preach  once  each  day  and 
twice  on  the  Sabbath,  the  gatherings  being  so  large 
that  he  was  often  compelled  to  go  into  the  fields.     He 


1642.]  SCOTCH   MINISTERS  VISIT   IRELAND.  125 

preached  with  great  earnestness  against  those  who  had 
been  led  astray  by  their  prelaticai  rulers,  exhorting 
them   to  fly  to    God   for   reconciliation   and   pardon 
through   Christ.     Many  old  Christians   declared  that 
they  had  never  heard  the  gospel  so  powerfully  exhib- 
ited, nor  the  heart  meltings  among  the  people  so  great. 
Mr.  Hamilton  was  engaged  in  the  same  labors,  and, 
by  a  singular  Providence,  Blair  and  Hamilton  were 
now  engaged  for  the  third  time  in  erecting  Presbyte- 
rianism  on  the  ruins  of  prelacy,  having  aided  in  the 
same  work  once  before  in  Ireland  and  once  in  Scot- 
land.    It  was  some  time  before  they  could  suppress  the 
practices  of  private  baptism  and  private  marriages,  and 
kneeling  at  the  communion  on  the  part  of  their  con- 
verts from  Episcopacy.     But  let  it  be  observed  that  no 
efforts  were  made  to  enforce  this  upon  any  but  those 
•who  had  voluntarily  adopted  the  Presbyterian  system. 
They  only  desired  that  so  long  as  any  professed  to  be 
Presbyterians  they  should  act  consistently  with  that 
profession.     They  next  attempted  to  put  a  stop  to  cer- 
tain errors  in  reference  to  infant  baptism  and  to  some 
teachings  tending  to  Antinomianism,  which  had  been 
introduced  by  two  Baptist  preachers  (Cornwall  and 
Yerner)  at  Antrim.     They,  in  conjunction  with  the 
Presbytery,  warned  the  people  against  them,  and  sum- 
moned these  disturbers  of  the  peace  to  appear  and  an- 
swer for  their  errors  before  the  Presbytery,  but  they 
never  came,  and  their  opinions  spread  no  further. 

On  the  2Tth  of  November  the  Presbytery  appointed 
a  public  £ist,  in  view  of  the  distracted  state  of  England, 
and  the  poverty,  discouragement  and  sinfulness  of  the 
people  and  army,  after  which  they  proceeded  to  the 
ordination  of  two  chaplains  (John  Drysdale  and  James 


126  JAMES   HOUSTON.  [Ch.  IX. 

Bat}',  (who  bad  been  attached  to  the  regiments  of 
Claneboy  and  Montgomerj^,)  to  the  pastoral  charge  of 
Portaferrj  and  Balljwalter;  Hamilton  presiding  at 
the  ordination  of  his  own  successor,  wdth  a  reservation 
of  his  own  right  by  the  people  and  Presbytery,  "  If 
God  should  clear  his  return  to  that  place."  The  As- 
sembly's visitors,  having  spent  three  months  in  Ireland, 
and  reorganized  the  church  in  Down  and  Antrim^  re- 
turned to  Scotland  near  the  close  of  the  year,  bearing 
an  earnest  request  for  additional  supplies. 

Meanwhile  another  Scotch  force  of  four  thousand 
men,  under  Leslie,  Earl  of  Leven,  having  come  over 
in  August,  the  Presbytery  directed  them  to  provide 
themselves  with  chaplains,  who  were  examined  as  they 
came,  and  some  of  them  rejected.  Among  these  was 
James  Houston,  who  had  been  minister  at  Glasford, 
and  was  esteemed  "a  pious  and  very  zealous  young 
man,"  but  for  some  grave  offence  he  was  deposed 
by  the  Presbytery  of  Hamilton  ;  but  being  invited  to 
become  a  chaplain,  he  was  with  that  view  restored  by 
the  Presbytery  of  Paisley,  whereupon  his  former  pa- 
rishioners prayed  that  he  might  be  restored  to  them, 
which  petition  was  refused  by  them,  but  the  case  being 
brought  before  the  Provincial  Synod  of  Glasford,  he 
was  permitted  to  return ;  but  on  appeal  to  the  General 
Assembly  of  1642,  Houston  was  not  only  rejected, 
but  finally  removed  from  the  ministerial  office. 

In  May,  161:3,  John  Livingston  came  over,  accom- 
panied by  James  Blair  of  Portpatrick.  Like  their 
predecessors,  they  preached  every  day  and  twice  upon 
the  Sabbath,  often  in  the  open  air,  as  no  houses  could 
contain  the  people.  Livingston,  in  describing  their 
labors^  writes,   "Usually  I  desired  no  more   before  I 


1G43.]  PETITION   OF   THE   PRESBYTERY.  127 

went  to  bed.  but  to  make  sure  of  the  place  of  Scripture 
I  was  to  preach  on  the  next  day.  And  rising  in  the 
morning,  I  had  four  or  five  hours  myself  alone,  either 
in  a  chamber  or  in  the  fields ;  after  that  we  went  to 
church,  and  then  dined,  and  then  rode  five  or  six 
miles,  more  or  less,  to  another  parish.  Sometimes 
there  would  be  four  or  five  communions  in  several 
places  in  the  three  months  time." 

After  the  return  of  Blair  and  Livingston,  on  account 
of  the  great  scarcity  of  ministers,  the  Presbytery  sent 
a  commissioner,  the  Kev.  John  Scott,  to  the  General 
Assembly,  which  sat  in  Edinburg  in  August,  1643,  with 
a  petition  for  additional  supplies,  which  was  seconded 
bv  a  letter  fjom  Lord  Montgomery,  who  afterwards 
became  a  persecutor  of  the  Presbyterians.     The  peti- 
tion, after  speaking  of  their  destitute  condition,  and 
their  entire  dependence  upon  the  parent  church,  goes 
on  to  say  :— '^Ib  is  therefore  our  humble  and  earnest 
desire  that  you  would  yet  again  look  on  our  former 
petition,  and  your  own  obligatory  act,  and  at  least  de- 
clare your  consent  that  a   competent  number  of  our 
own  ministers  may  be  loosed  to  settle  here,  and  break 
bread  to  the  children  that  lie  fainting  at  the  head  of  all 
streets  ;   which,  though  it  may  be  accounted  but  a  re- 
storing of  what  lue  have  lost  and  yoa  have  found,  we 
shall  esteem  it  as  the  most  precious  gift  that  earth  can 
afford.     When  they  are  so  loosed,  if  they  find  not  all 
things   concurring   to   clear   God's  calling,  it  will  be 
in  tl^eir  hand  to  forbear,  and  you  have  testified  your 
bounty.     But  oh  I  for  the  Lord's  sake  do  not  kill  our 
dying   souls,  by  denying  tliem  our  necessary  desires. 
There  are  about  twelve  or  fourteen  congregations  on 
this  nearest  coast ;    let  us  have  at  least  a  competent 


128  THE  assembly's  answer.  [Ch.  IX. 

number  that  may  erect  Christ's  throne  of  discipline, 
and  may  help  to  bring  in  others;  and  then  shall  we 
sing,  that  the  people  who  were  left  of  the  sword  have 
found  grace  in  the  wilderness." 

This  petition,  with  the  letter  of  Lord  Montgomery, 
were  referred  to  a  committee,  who  reported  that  as 
Ireland  was  a  dependency  of  England,  nothing  coald 
be  done  until  the  English  Parliament  gave  their  con- 
sent that  the  ecclesiastical  changes  now  proposed  met 
with  their  approbation,  and  recommended  that  the 
state  of  the  Irish  church  be  referred  to  the  Commission 
from  the  English  Parliament.  But  in  the  present  dis- 
tress the  standing  commission  of  the  church  was 
directed  to  send  over  to  Ireland  "  expectants"  or  proba- 
tioners, who  were  to  do  all  that  they  could  to  meet  the 
exigency.  A  reply  to  the  general  petition,  presented 
by  Sir  Robert  Adair,  was  also  drawn  up  and  approved, 
in  which  they  declined  to  lose  any  of  their  ministers, 
but  they  willingly  made  an  appointment  of  ministers 
to  visit  Ulster  in  rotation  till  the  next  Assembly,  two 
and  two  for  three  months  as  before.  These  were,  from 
the  8th  of  September,  1613,  William  Cockburn  of 
Kirkmichael  and  Mathew  Mackaill  of  Carmanoch ; 
from  the  8th  of  December,  Georg^e  Hutchinson  of  Col- 
monel  and  Hugh  Henderson  of  Dailly ;  from  the  8th 
of  March,  1644,  William  Adair  of  Ayr  and  John  Weir 
of  Dalserf ;  from  the  8th  of  June,  James  Hamilton  of 
Dumfries  and  John  Maclelland  of  Kirkcudbrig-ht. 
These  were  commanded  to  visit  the  north  of  Ireland, 
and  "instruct,  comfort  and  encourage  the  scattered 
flocks  of  Christ." 

This  General  Assembly  whose  proceedings  we  have 
been  considering,  is  memorable  as  having  involved  the 


1643.]       ENGLISH   PARLIAMENT  IN   DIFFICULTY.  129 

Church  of  Scotland  in  the  quarrel  between  King  and 
Parliament. 

The  civil  war  had  begun  in  England,  Charles  having 
raised  his  standard  at  Nottingham,  August  25,  1642, 
and  the  Parliament  an  army,  under  the  Earl  of  Essex. 
In  the  first  campaign  the  parties  were  nearly  balanced, 
but  it  was  terminated  on  the  approach  of  winter,  witli 
no  advantage  on  either  side;  but  in  the  spring  of 
1643,  the  King's  army  was  victorious  both  in  the 
north  and  in  the  south.  The  Parliament  being  thus 
placed  in  a  very  precarious  situation,  and  civil  and 
religious  libert}^  greatly  endangered,  an  appeal  was 
made  to  Scotland  for  assistance.  They  represented 
the  downfall  of  the  Parliament  as  the  destruction  of 
all  constitutional  freedom,  and  to  be  followed  by  the 
subjugation  of  the  Scottish  nation  and  church,  and,  as 
an  inducement,  they  held  out  hopes  of  Presbyterian- 
ism  beconiing  the  established  religion  throughout  the 
empire.  This  was  made  more  hopeful  by  the  growing 
opposition  to  Episcopacy,  and  the  feelings  of  the  Long 
Parliament,  which  were  evinced  by  the  execution  of 
Strafford  and  the  impeachment  of  Laud;  and  the 
House  of  Commons  was  flooded  with  petitions  against 
the  hierarchy,  as  being  opposed  to  all  civil  and  relig- 
ious freedom.  Accordingly  the  Commons,  early  in 
1641,  voted  to  exclude  the  bishops  from  all  legislative 
functions,  but  the  bill  was  thrown  out  in  the  House 
of  Lords. 

Many  plans  for  remodelling  the  church  were  un- 
successfully presented,  the  most  remarkable  of  which 
was  the  scheme  of  Ussher,  in  which  he  professed  to 
unite  Prelacy  and  Presbytery,  and  which  he  called 
"  the  form  of  synod ical  government  received  in  the 


130  CHURCH   OF   SCOTLAND.  [Ch.  IX. 

ancient  diurch,"  which  was  nothing  but  a  modified 
Episcopacy,  which  Charles  and  the  great  body  of  the 
bishops  strongly  opposed ;  but  in  February,  1612,  a 
bill  was  passed  j^^'Gventing  persons  in  holy  orders  from 
exercising  temporal  jurisdiction,  and  consequently  ex- 
cluding the  bishops  from  Parliament.  This  bill  was, 
after  much  hesitation,  signed  b}^  the  King,  and  in  the 
following  month  notice  was  given  by  the  Commons 
of  their  intention  of  calling  an  assembly  of  divines 
to  assist  them  in  reforming  the  abuses  of  the  church. 

The  majoritj^,  both  of  the  clergy  and  laity  in  Eng- 
land, were  inclined  at  this  time  to  Presbj'terian  purity 
and  freedom,  w^hile  the  Parliament  was  mostly  Eras- 
tian  in  sentiment,  ^.  e.,  regarded  the  church  as  the 
creature  of  the  State,  and  therefore  the  wise  magistrate 
could  model  the  church  without  reference  to  the  au- 
thority of  the  Scriptures. 

The  Church  of  Scotland  having  been  reformed  anew, 
and  in  a  high  state  of  efl&ciency,  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  the  English  at  this  junction,  and  induced  a 
proposition  from  the  Parliament  to  the  Assembly,  at 
St.  Andrews,  for  joint  and  uniform  reform.  The  As- 
sembly, in  their  answer,  took  the  ground  that  there 
can  be  no  hope  for  tranquility  until  Episcopacy  is 
abrogated,  and  a  uniform  government  established 
throughout  the  empire,  and  as  Episcopacy  was  almost 
universally  acknowledged  to  be  a  human  contrivance, 
it  could  therefore  be  more  easily  abolished,  "  without 
wronging  any  man's  conscience."  This  was  the  be- 
ginning of  a  correspondence  between  the  two  king- 
doms, which  afterwards  led  to  the  most  memorable 
results.  The  Scots  had  thus  far  not  committed  them- 
selves to  either  side,  but  had  endeavored  to  mediate 


1643.]         DECLARATION   OF   THE    PARLIAMENT.  181 

between  tbem  and  effect  a  reconciliation ;  but  this  was 
found  to  be  impossible,  and  the  Parliament,  by  prom- 
ising an  extension  of  the  Presbyterian  system,  pre- 
vailed, and  the  Scots  espoused  their  cause,  which 
eventually  led  to  its  triumph. 

On  the  1st  of  September  the  Commons,  and  on  the 
9th  the  House  of  Lords,  concurred  in  an  answer  to  the 
Assembly's  letter.  They  express  in  this  famous  Dec- 
laration a  desire  for  uniformity  of  religion  throughout 
the  kingdom  ;  they  condemn  prelacy  as  leading  to  in- 
tolerable grievances,  and  as  hostile  to  the  wishes  of 
the  people,  *' upon  \vhich  accounts,"  they  say,  "and 
many  others,  we  declare  that  this  government,  by  arch- 
bishops, bishops,  their  chancellors  and  commissaries, 
deans  and  chapters,  archdeacons  and  other  ecclesistical 
officers  depending  upon  the  hierarchy,  is  evil  and  justly 
offensive  and  burdensome  to  the  kino-dom,  a  orreat  im- 
pediment  to  reformation,  and  very  prejudicial  to  the 
civil  government,  and  that  we  are  resolved  the  same 
shuU  be  taken  away."  This  was  carried  into  effect  by 
act  of  Parliament  in  January,  but  never  received  the 
assent  of  the  king,  whose  successes  about  this  time 
making  the  aid  of  Scotland  indispensable  to  his  op- 
ponents, they  proceeded,  without  waiting  for  the  royal 
concurrence,  to  pass  this  ordinance,  and  also  one  con- 
voking an  assembly  of  divines,  to  meet  at  Westmin- 
ster, and  aid  them  in  settling  such  a  government  in 
the  church  "  as  may  be  agreeable  to  God's  holy  word, 
and  bring  (us)  into  nearer  agreement  with  the  church 
of  Scotland  and  other  reformed  churches  abroad." 

Though  forbidden  by  royal  proclamation,  this  cele- 
brated Assembly  met,  on  Saturday,  July  1st,  1643. 
It  was  merely  advisory,  without  ecclesiastical  author- 


132  WESTMINSTER   ASSEMBLY.  [^h.  IX. 

ity,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  divines, 
among  whom  were  Joshua  Hojle,  D.  D.,  for  many 
years  professor  of  divinity  in  Trinity  College,  Dublin, 
and  afterwards  at  Oxford,  and  Thomas  Temple,  D.  D., 
formerly  fellow  of  that  college,  but  for  some  years  set- 
tled at  Battersea,  near  London.  Among  the  lay  as- 
sessors (two  lords  and  twenty  commoners)  was  Sir 
John  Clotworthy,  of  Antrim,  who  has  been  so  often 
mentioned. 

Commissioners  were  now  sent  to  Scotland  to  the  Scot- 
tish Parliament,  and  to  the  General  Assembly,  to  nego- 
ciate  a  civil  league  between  the  kingdoms  ;  but  the 
Scotts  insisting  on  a  religious  covenant,  the  two  things 
were  combined,  and  the  alliance  styled  "  The  Solemn 
League  and  Covenant,"  was  the  result.  It  included  an 
agreement  that  the  Church  of  England  should  be  re- 
formed, "according  to  the  word  of  Grod,  and  the  exam- 
ple of  the  best  reformed  churches,"  the  details  being 
lefc  to  the  Assembly  of  Divines,  to  which  commission- 
ers from  the  Church  of  Scotland  were  now  added.  On 
the  17th  of  August  it  was  introduced  into  the  Assem- 
bly, with  great  rejoicing.  Baillie,  in  describing  its  re- 
ception, writes,  "In  the  which  at  the  first  reading, 
being  well  prefaced  with  Mr.  Henderson's  most  grave 
oration,  it  was  received  with  the  greatest  applause  that 
ever  I  saw  anything,  with  so  hearty  affections  expressed 
in  the  tears  of  piety  and  joy,  by  very  many  grave,  wise, 
and  old  men."  The  same  day  the  Scottish  Parliament 
adopted  it^  and  was  by  them  referred  to  a  joint  com- 
mittee of  their  own  body  and  of  ihe  Westminster  As- 
sembly, "to  the  intent  that  some  expressions  might  be 
further  explained,  and  that  the  kingdom  of  Ireland  also 
onight  be  expressly  taken  into  the  same  leaguers  covenant'''' 


1643.]  SOLEMN   LEAGUE   AND   COVENANT.  133 

These  amendments  being  made,  it  was  finally  approved 
by  the  Commons,  and  publicly  sworn  to,  with  religious 
services  in  St.  Margaret's  Church,  Westminster,  Sep- 
tember 25th.     At  that  meeting  tbe  Rev.  Philip  Nye 
read  it  from  the  pulpit,  article  by  article,  each  person 
standing  uncovered,  with  his  right  hand  lifted  up  bare 
to  heaven,  worshipping  the  great  name  of  God,  and 
swearing  to  the  performance  of  it.     Dr.  Gouge  con- 
cluded with  prayer,  after  which  the  Commons  went  up 
into  the  chancel,  and  subscribed  their  names  in  one 
roll  of  parchment,  and  the  Assembly  in  another,  each 
of  which  contained  a  copy  of  the  Covenant.     Two 
hundred  and  twenty-eight  members  of  the  Commons 
signed,  among  whom  was  Oliver  Cromwell.     On  the 
15th  of  October  it  was  approved  by  the  Lords,  with 
the  same  solemnity,  after  which  it  was  ordered  to  be 
taken  by  all  persons  above  eighteen  years  of  age,  un- 
der pain  of  being  punished  as  enemies  to  religion  and 
the  public  peace.     Copies  were  sent  for  this  purpose  to 
every  minister  and  every  military  commander  in  the 
service  of  the  Parliament.     The  same  course  was  pur- 
sued in  Scotland,  and  copies  were  sent  to  the  modera- 
tors of  the  Presbyteries,  with  directions  to  read  and 
explain  the  Covenant  the  first  Sunday  after  the  receipt 
thereof,  and  on  the  Sunday  following  to  cause  all  to 
sign   it  and  swear  to  perform  it,  under  pain  of  "  the 
Church  censures,  and  confiscation  of  goods  presently 
to  be  inflicted  on  all  refusers." 

This  bond  of  union  was  refused  by  none  except  the 
violent  partisans  of  Charles,  and  thus  it  ascertained 
and  united  all  the  friends  of  liberty  and  true  religion 
throughout  the  kingdom.  If  the  Covenant  had  been 
onlv  a  civil  lea;:>ue  it  would  not  have  accomplished  the 


134  ITS   EXPEDIENCY.  [Ch.  IX 

purjDose  intended ;  but  being  botli  a  civil  and  religious 
test,  and  a  civil  and  religious  bond,  it  fullj  met  the 
end.  Diversities  of  opinion  have  existed  as  to  the  ex- 
pedienc}^  of  this  measure,  but  it  should  be  remembered 
that  religious  and  civil  affairs  were  so  intimately  con- 
nected that  what  affected  one  affected  the  other.  It 
was  not  then  as  it  is  now,  that  men  of  ahuost  any  creed 
and  church  constitute  the  same  political  party,  or  that 
men  united  in  the  fellowship  of  the  same  church  are 
found  to  entertain  opposite  political  sentiments.  At 
this  day,  therefore,  such  a  plan  would  be  entirely  un- 
suitable for  the  purpose  of  advancing  a  reformation  ; 
but  then  the  Covenant  was,  "for  the  matter  of  it,  just 
and  warrantable  ;  for  the  ends  necessary  and  com- 
mendable ;  and  for  the  times  seasonable." 

The  publication  of  the  Covenant  raised  and  sustained 
such  a  spirit  as  led  to  the  most  important  results. 


CHAPTER     X. 

1642-1644. 

As  Ireland  was  included  in  this  solemn  compact,  it 
was  immediately  sent  over  to  that  country,  where  im- 
portant changes  had  been  taking  place.     The  hopes  of 
the  native  rebels,  crushed  by  the  successes  of  the  Stew- 
arts and  of  Monro,  were  revived  by  the  appearance  of 
a  new  leader,  Owen  Koe  O'Neill,  a  kinsman  of  Sir 
Phelim,  and  distinguished  in  the  Spanish  and  Imperial 
service.     He  landed  at  Doe  Castle,  in  the  county  of 
Donegal,  in  the  month  of  July,  1642,  and  being  chosen 
as  leader  of  the  northern  Irish,   he   immediately  de- 
nounced the  savage  warfare  of  his  predecessors  as  a 
disgrace  upon  the  name  and  the  religion  of  the  Irish, 
and  punished  some  of  the  most  notorious  murderers. 
Bringing  with  him  able  and  experienced  officers,  and 
well  supplied  with  ordnance  and  stores  from  France, 
he  was  prepared  to  cope  with  the  Protestant  forces. 

Before  his  arrival  measures  had  been  taken  to  give 
more  vigor  and  an  appearance  of  legality  to  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  Irish  rebels,  by  a  formal  confederation 
of  the  Irish  Koman  Catholics,  sanctioned  by  a  synod 
of  their  bishops  and  clergy  at  Kilkenny  in  May,  1642. 
In  October  of  the  same  year  a  convention  of  clerical 
and  lay  delegates  assembled  in  the  same  place,  and, 
without  the  name,  assumed  the  power  of  a  Parliament, 
restoring  the  Church  of  Rome  to  all  her  former  rights 
and  immunities   "  as  guaranteed  by  Magna  Charta," 


136  A  CONFEDERACY.  [Ch.  X. 

acknowledging  tlie  Englisli  common  law  and  Irisli 
statutes  onl}^  so  far  as  tliej  were  consistent  w^th  these 
rights  of  the  church  ;  disow^ning  the  Lords  Justices 
but  acknowledging  the  King,  yet  inconsistently  per- 
forming acts  of  sovereignty  by  coining  money,  levying 
taxes^  and  sending  embassies  to  foreign  powers.  They 
transferred  the  ecclesiastical  possessions  of  the  kingdom 
from  the  Church  of  Eno-land  to  the  Church  of  Eome : 
committed  the  executive  power  to  a  council  of  twenty- 
four,  and  prescribed  an  ''  oath  of  association,"  binding 
all  who  took  it  never  to  make  peace  without  the  con- 
sent of  the  General  Assembly,  and  in  any  peace  which 
might  be  made  "  to  the  utmost  of  their  power  to  in- 
sist upon  and  maintain  the  ensuing  propositions  : — 

"  I.  That  the  Roman  Catholics,  both  clergy  and 
laity,  have  free  and  public  exercise  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  religion  and  function  throughout  the  king- 
dom, in  as  full  lustre  and  splendor  as  it  was  in  the 
reign  of  King  Henry  the  Seventh. 

"  11.  That  the  secular  clerg}^  of  Ireland,  viz.,  pri- 
mates, archbishops,  bishops,  ordinaries,  deans,  deans 
and  chapters,  archdeacons,  prebendaries  and  other 
dignitaries,  parsons,  vicars,  and  all  other  pastors  of  the 
secular  clergy,  shall  enjoy  all  manner  of  jurisdiction, 
privileges,  immunities,  in  as  full  and  ample  a  manner 
as  was  enjoj'ed  within  this  realm  during  the  reign  of 
the  late  Henry  the  Seventh. 

"  III.  That  all  laws  and  statutes  made  since  the 
twentieth  year  of  King  Henry  the  Eighth,  wdiereby 
any  restraint,  penalty,  or  restriction  is  laid  on  the  free 
exercise  of  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  wdthin  this 
kingdom  may  be  repealed  and  declared  void  by  one  or 
more  acts  of  Parliament. 


16^3.]  ITS   DISSOLUTION.  187 

''  IV.  That  all  primates,  archbishops,  bishops,  deans, 
etc.,  shall  hold  and  enjoy  all  of  the  churches  and 
church  livings  in  as  large  and  ample  a  manner  as  the 
late  Protestant  clergy  respectively  enjoyed  the  same  on 
the  1st  day  of  October,  1641,  together  with  all  the 
profits,  emoluments,  perquisites,  liberties,  and  rights  to 
their  respective  sees  and  churches." 

This  convention  remained  in  session  until  January, 
1643,  when  it  was  dissolved,  the  administration  of  af- 
fairs being  committed  to  the  Supreme  Council.     Gen- 
erals were  now   appointed  for  each  Province,    Owen 
O'Xeill  taking  command  of  Ulster,  and  active  meas- 
ures for  carrying  on  the  war  adopted.     Kegotiations 
were  opened  with  the  King,  who  was  anxious  to  ob- 
tain  help  from  Ireland  against  the  Parliament   and 
Scots  ;  and  to  expedite  this  business  he  appointed  the 
Earl  of  Ormond  and  other  gentlemen  in  whom  he  con- 
fided to  treat  with  the  Supreme  Council.     The  first 
attempt  of  this  commission  at  negotiation  failed  through 
the  influence  of  the  Lords  Justices  and  the  Irish  Privy 
Council,  the  majority  of  whom  were  friends  of  the 
Parliament.     Ormond,  in  order  to  accomplish  his  pur- 
pose, first  removed  and  then  imprisoned  Sir  William 
Parsons,  one  of  the  Lords  Justices,  as  standing  in  the 
way  of  an  agreement,  and  appointed  Sir  Henry  Tich- 
borne  in  his  place.     He  w^as  now  in  a  more  favorable 
position  to   renew  his  negotiation,  and  after  rejecting 
with  contempt  the  first  extravagant  proposals  of  the 
Irish,  he  at  length  made  a  treaty,  securing  to  them  all 
the  castles,  towns,  and  churches  in  that  part  of  the 
kingdom  then  possessed  by  them,  and  in  return  the 
Koman    Catholics   agreeing   to   pay   thirty    thousand 
pounds  as  a  subsidy  and  an  immediate  reinforcement 


138  .  ORMOXD's   CESSATIOIT.  [Ch.  X 

of  ten  regiments,  which  were  actually  sent  before  the 
close  of  the  year,  but  without  advantage  to  the  royal 
cause,  the  greater  part  being  killed  or  made  prisoners 
by  Fairfax,  the  Parliamentary  general,  and  the  rest 
were  soon  after  slain  at  the  siege  of  Gloucester ;  Avhile 
the  treaty  wnth  the  Irish  chiefs  increased  the  King's 
unpopularity,  and  strengthened  the  suspicion  of  his 
popish  inclinations  or  subjection  to  popish  influence. 

The  ^'  Cessation  "  (of  hostilities),  with  its  conditions, 
was  immediately  condemned  by  Parliament,  and  in  a 
public  declaration  stated  their  objections ;  many  roy- 
alists also  were  so  offended  that  they  at  once  abandoned 
the  cause.  The  news  of  the  Cessation  came  to  London  at 
the  same  time  with  the  Solemn  League  and  Covenant, 
and  caused  a  more  unanimous  aoTeement  in  that 
measure.  It  was  still  more  indignantly  condemned  in 
Scotland,  and  in  Ulster,  where  the  Protestant  ascend- 
ancy  w^as  still  maintained  by  the  Stewarts,  wdth  their 
associates.  Sir  William  Stewart,  after  his  victory  near 
Raphoe,  notwithstanding  the  rigor  of  the  winter  and 
the  inaccessible  character  of  the  country,  followed  up 
the  rebels  to  the  remotest  part  of  Donegal,  and  in  the 
spring,  sustained  b}^  his  brother.  Sir  Robert,  with  Colonel 
Mervyn,  Sir  Thomas  Staples  and  others,  he  was  suc- 
cessful in  dispersing  them  in  Donegal,  Derry  and  Ty- 
rone. In  the  northeast  of  the  province  the  same  ac- 
tivity prevailed.  0'  Neill  had  during  the  winter  laid 
siege  to  the  fort  of  Mountjo}-  on  Lough  jSTeagh,  which 
was  garrisoned  by  Sir  John  Ciotworthy's  regiment,  un- 
der the  command  of  Colonel  James  Clotwortby,  and 
had  cut  off  all  communication  with  the  county  Derry 
across  the  river  Bann  Tiie  first  movement  in  the 
spring  was  made  by  the  boats  of  Sir  John  Clotworthy, 


1643.]  CAPTURE   OF   THE    EARL   OF   ANTRBL  139 

.under  Captain  Langford,  to  dislodge  tlie  rebels  from 
the  islands  of  Lough  Beg.  Assisted  by  Major  Ellis, 
the  insurgents  were  attacked,  and  after  a  severe  en- 
counter, in  which  Captain  Owen  0'  Connolly  was  shot 
in  the  arm,  they  were  forced  to  retire  to  Charlemont 
and  Dungannon. 

In  order  to  dislodge  the  rebels  from  these  strongholds, 
Monro  took  the  field  in   May  1643,  with  about  two 
thousand  troops,  sending  to  Lord   Sinclair,  who   was 
then  quartered  at  ISTewry,  for  a  detachment  of  mus- 
keteers.    At  Loughall,  near  Armagh,  they  met  General 
O'  Neill,  and  after  a  severe  conflict  of  about  an  hour, 
with  loss  on  both  sides,  O'  Neill  retreated  to  Charle- 
mont.    The  next  day,   gathering  together  their  scat- 
tered forces,  they  marched  to  Tan  dragee,  where  Sir 
James  Lochart  was  mortally  wounded  in  a  skirmish  and 
died  the  next  day.    Although  failing  in  the  great  object 
of  their  expedition,  the  capture  of  0'  Niell,  by  a  happy 
acccident  the  Earl  of  Antrim  was  again  seized  and 
placed  at  Carrickfergus.     The  capture  occurred  in  this 
manner  :    Soon  after  the  return  of  the  forces  of  Monro 
to   their  quarters,  as   Colonel    Home's   regiment   and 
Major  Ballentine's  troop  were  employed  in  besieging 
the  fort  at  ISTewcastle  in   the  county   of  Down,  they 
observed  a  person  landing  under  suspicious  circum- 
stances from  a  small  vessel  on  tlie  coast.     They  imme- 
diately  seized   him,  and  having   threatened  him  with 
instant  death  if  he  did  not  discover  himself,  he  con- 
fessed that  he  was  the  confidential  servant  of  the  Earl 
of  Antrim,    who  by  his  assistance   had  escaped  from 
Carrickfergus  about  a  year  before;  that  his  master  was 
in  the  vessel  on  his  way  to  join  0'  jSTeill  at  Cliarlemont, 
and  that  he  had  been  sent  on  shore  to  make  arrange- 


140  .    OWEN   ROE   O  NEILL   ROUTED.  [Ch.  X 

ments  for  his  safe  lauding.  The  servant,  wboso  name 
was  Stewart,  being  compelled  to  mak:;  the  concerted 
signal  to  Antrim,  the  Earl  put  ashore,  but  was  imme- 
diately taken  prisoner  and  carried  to  Monro.  Impor- 
tant papers,  implicating  the  King,  were  found  upon  his 
person,  which  were  forwarded  to  Edinburg. 

The  failure  of  Monro  to  pursue  his  successes  in 
Armagh  arose  from  the  scarcity  of  supplies  and  the  con- 
sequent suffering  of  his  troops  from  their  first  arrival 
in  Ireland.  Turner,  in  his  '' Memoirs"  of  this  cam- 
paign, writes,  "  I  fingered  no  pay  the  whole  time  I 
staid  in  Ireland,  (nearly  three  years,)  except  for  three 
months."  And  in  another  place  he  saj^s,  "we  had 
meal  so  sparingly  seldom  we  could  allow  our  soldiers 
above  a  pound." 

In  June,  1643,  the  British  regiments  from  Down  and 
Antrim,  under  the  command  of  Lords  Conway,  Ards, 
and  Clanebov,  and  Colonels  Chichester  and  James 
Montgomerj^,  traversed  Monaghan  and  Armagh,  pillag- 
ing the  country  and  driving  0'  ISTeill  before  them  into 
the  jaws  of  the  Lagan  forces  under  Sir  Kobert  Stew- 
art, who  routed  him  at  Clones  vv^ith  great  loss,  most  of 
his  forces  beina:  taken,  and  the  foreioii  officers  who 
came  with  Owen  Roe  O'  Neill  being  mostly  either 
killed  or  prisoners,  though  the  want  of  supplies  pre- 
vented vigorous  pursuit.  The  losses  of  the  rebels  in 
this  action  were  greater  than  they  had  met  wdth  before. 
These  successes  would  soon  have  put  an  end  to  the 
rebellion,  but  for  the  effect  of  Ormond's  "  Cessation  " 
in  removing  the  English  regiments  from  Leinster,  and 
thus  depriving  them  of  their  cooperation.  By  this 
measure  the  Protestant  caus3  was  seriously  weakened, 
and  the  Romanists  greatly  encouraged.     When,  there- 


1643.]  ORMOND   OPPOSES   THE   COVENANT.  141 

fore,  by  the  terms  of  the  Cessation  the  Protestants  of 
Ulster  found  that  the  rebels  were  not  only  unpunished 
for  iheir  outrages,  but  secured  in  the  possession  of  their 
castles,  towns  and  estates,  acquired  by  the  massacre  of 
their  owners — when  they  saw  the  Popish  priests  sup- 
planting their  ministers,  and  holding  the  ecclesiastical 
property,  they  were  alarmed  and  indignant ;  and  this 
threatened  restoration  of  Popery  increased  the  oppo- 
sition of  the  Protestants  in  Ulster  to  that  treaty,  and 
prepared  them  to  receive  more  cordially  the  Solemn 
League  and  Covenant,  which  was  at  this  juncture 
brought  over  to  Ireland  by  Owen  0'Connoll3\ 

The  Lords  Justices  and  Ormond  determined,  if  pos- 
sible, to  jDrevent  the  taking  of  the  Covenant  in  Ireland, 
and  for  this  purpose  Monro  and  the  British  colonels 
were  charged  to  prevent  its  being  tendered  to  the  sol- 
diers under  their  command  ;  and  accordingly,  on  the 
18th  December,  a  proclamation  was  issued  from  the 
Lords  Justices,  which  was  to  be  read  at  the  head  of 
every  regiment,  denouncing  the  Covenant  as  a  seditious 
and  treasonable  league,  and  forbidding  the  soldiers  to 
sign  it.  This  command  was  disregarded  by  Monro  and 
the  colonels,  and  on  the  2d  of  Januar}^  Loid  Montgom- 
ery, Sir  Robert  Stewart,  Sir  James  Montgomerj^,  Sir 
William  Cole,  Colonels  Chichester,  Hill  and  Mervyn, 
wrote  a  joint  letter  to  Parliament,  condemning  the  Ces- 
sation, though  it  is  alleged  that  at  the  same  time  they 
had  agreed  secretly  among  themselves  to  oppose  the 
Covenant,  and  to  obey  Ormond,  now  Lord  Lieutenant 
of  Ireland. 

The  Scotch  forces  were  becoming  very  restive  in 
Ulster,  suffering  extremely  from  the  want  of  provis- 
ionSj  although  the  English  commissioners,  in  answer  to 


142  DESTITUTION   OF  SCOTCH   FORCES.  [Ch.  X. 

several  urgent  entreaties  of  Monro,  had  promised  them 
their  back  pay,  with  an  abundant  supply  of  clothiDg, 
food,  arms  and  ammunition.  The  distress  finally  be- 
came so  great,  that  Monro  was  compelled  to  abandon 
the  strong  posts  of  Kewry,  Mountjoy  and  Dnngannou, 
with  some  forts  on  the  river  Bann,  held  by  the  Scots. 
The  English  Parliament,  having  drawn  upon  the  Scotch 
army,  according  to  the  league,  for  assistance,  it  be- 
came necessary  to  recall  a  part  of  the  army  for  the 
defence  of  Scotland  ;  and  so  desirous  were  the  regi- 
ments to  leave,  that  it  was  decided  by  lot  which  should 
first  embark,  and  the  regiments  of  Sinclair,  Lowdon, 
and  Campbell  were  designated.  On  the  very  eve  of 
sailing  they  entered  into  a  mutual  engagement  neither 
to  disband  nor  to  obey  any  superior  ofiicer  until  they 
had  received  their  promised  arrears  ;  and  if  their  terms 
were  not  complied  with,  would  join  the  royal  party. 
This  engagement  was  denounced  by  the  Presbytery  as 
"ambiguous,  scandalous,  devisive,  and  against  the  Cov- 
enant." 

The  Presbyterians  were  very  desirous  that  the  Scotch 
army  might  remain  in  Ireland,  and  on  first  hearing  of 
its  recall  sent  over  Sir  Frederick  Hamilton  with  a  peti- 
tion that  the  order  mi2;ht  be  rescinded.  The  British 
regiments  in  the  Lagan,  and  in  Down  and  Antrim, 
hearing  that  the  removal  of  the  Scots  would  give  a  pre- 
ponderance to  the  royalist  and  Romish  party  in  Ulster, 
also  sent  a  deputation  (Captain  Owen  O'Connolly  and 
Captain  Robert  Magill)  to  Edinburgh,  requesting  that 
the  Scottish  forces  might  remain,  and  asking  permis- 
sion to  subscribe  the  Solemn  League  and  Covenant. 

While  these  negotiations  were  in  progress  in  Scot- 
land, the  settlers  in  Ulster  were  in  consternation  lest 


1643.]  SUPPLIES  ARRIVE.  14:3 

Ormond  should  reenact  some  of  the  severities  ^Yhich 
they  had  experienced  under  Strafford  and  the  prelates  ; 
and  so  extensive  was  this  fear  that  the  farmers,  espe- 
cially in  the  county  Down,  refused  to  sow  their  fields, 
intending  to  abandon  the  county  so  soon  as  the  Scot- 
tish forces  had  withdrawn.    These  fears  were  in  a  meas- 
ure allayed  by  the  assurance   of  the  British  colonels 
that  thev  would  use  every  exertion  to  prevent  their 
departure.     They  were  not  kept  long  in  suspense,  for 
on  the  22d  of  February  the  order  for  the  removal  of 
the  Scots  was  countermanded,  and  soon  after  Sir  Fred- 
erick Hamilton  and  Sir  Mungo  Campbell  were  sent 
back  to  Ireland  with  the  news  that  supplies  would  be 
forthcoming,  with  instructions  to  persuade  the  British 
regiments  to  unite  with  them  in  prosecuting  the  war. 

This  pacified  the  Scottish  forces,  but  the  three  regi- 
ments on  shipboard  could  not  be  induced  to  stay  ;  but 
Monro  prevailed  upon  the  rest  to  resume  their  former 
quarters.     In  the  month  of  March  a  vessel  arrived  at 
Carrickfergus  with  ten  thousand  pounds  in  money,  and 
alarge  supplv  of  meal  and  clothing.    Similar  donations 
were  sent  from  the  Clyde  to  Derry,  one  half  for  the  use 
of  the  Lagan  forces.     And  shortly  after  a  supply  from 
the  shire  of  Ayr  was  sent  as  a  free  gift  to  the  army  at 
Carrickfergus.     Besides  these  supplies  from  Scotland, 
not  less  than  four  vessels  arrived  in  different  ports  m 
Ulster,  bringing  gifts  from  Holland,  occasioned  by  a 
letter  from  the  Westminster  Assembly  to  the  classes 
there,  and  a  commission  which  was  sent  by  Parha- 
ment  to  collect  the  contributions  taken  up  in  all  their 
churches,  and  those  that  had  been  generously  offered 
by  some  Dutch  towns  early  in  the  previous  summer.  - 
On  the  16th  of  October,  1643,  the  English  Parka- 


144  SIGNING  OF   THE   COVENANT.  [Ch.  X. 

ment  requested  the  commissioners  from  Scotland  to 
take  steps  for  the  signing  of  the  Covenant  bj  the  Scots 
in  Ireland,  at  the  same  time  pledging  themselves  that 
English  Protestants  there  should  do  the  same.  After 
some  correspondence  with  the  Scottish  Parliament,  as 
to  the  manner  of  taking  the  Covenant,  the  matter  was 
referred  to  the  committee  of  both  nations,  sitting  in 
London,  and  by  them  sent  to  the  commission  of  the 
Scotch  Assembly,  who  finally  intrusted  it  to  the  min- 
isters whose  turn  it  was  to  visit  Ireland.  These  were 
James  Hamilton  of  Dumfries  (formerly  of  Bally  wai- 
ter), Hugh  Henderson,  of  Dairy  in  Ayrshire,  William 
Adair  of  Ayr,  a  ad  John  Weir  of  Dalserf  in  Lanark- 
shire. A  letter  to  the  same  effect  was  brought  from 
the  ParHament  by  Major  Borth wick,  of  Lord  Lindsay's 
regiment,  to  the  oflS.cers  of  the  Scottish  army.  In  this 
letter  they  leave  the  time  of  taking  the  Covenant  to  the 
discretion  of  the  ofiicers,  but  suggest  that  the  sooner  it 
is  done  the  better,  as  a  means  of  restoring  confidence 
throughout  the  kingdom. 

Hamilton  and  his  colleagues  reached  Carrickfergus 
in  the  end  of  March,  and  entered  immediately  upon 
their  work.  On  the  4th  of  April  they  met  the  Pres- 
bytery, showing  their  commissions,  and  ako  a  letter 
from  the  Greneral  Assembly,  directing  the  ministers  of 
the  Scotch  forces  to  administer  the  Covenant  to  the 
army.  This  was  accordingly  done,  all  the  soldiers 
cheerfully  signing  it  with  the  exception  of  Major  Dal- 
zel,  afterwards  a  General,  and  a  most  bitter  persecutor 
of  the  Presbyterians  in  the  reign  of  Charles  the  Second. 
Although  the  ministers  had  no  commission  except  for 
the  army,  yet  when  the  Covenant  was  administered  the 
whole  population,  with  a  few  exceptions,  came  of  their 


1644.]  SIGNING   THE   COVENANT.  145 

own  accord  and  signed  the  instrument.  Those  who 
had  formerly  taken  the  Black  Oath  were  required  be- 
fore signing  to  make  a  public  declaration  of  their  peni- 
tence. Mr.  Weir  states  that  at  Carrickfergus  there 
were  four  hundred  who  renounced  the  Black  Oath  and 
took  the  Covenant.  Wherever  it  was  presented  the 
people  appeared  to  be  greatly  affected,  some  with  sor- 
row^ on  account  of  their  former  sins  and  miseries,  and 
some  with  joyful  hop3  for  tlie  future ;  so  that  Adair, 
from  whose  narrative  these  facts  are  taken,  says,  "  The 
solemnity  and  spirituality  of  carrying  on  this  work  was 
like  the  cloud  filling  the  temple,  there  being  a  new 
tabernacle  erecting  in  the  land.  And  those  who  had 
not  seen  these  things  before,  nor  were  well  acquainted 
with  them,  said  (as  the  people  in  Christ's  time)  *  we 
have  seen  strange  things  to-day.'  Yea,  even  the  ma- 
lignants  who  were  opposed  to  the  Covenant  durst  not 
appear  to  the  contrary ;  for  the  people  generally  held 
these  ministers  as  servants  of  Grod,  and  coming  with  a 
blessed  message  and  errand  to  them." 

Having  completed  their  work  in  Down  and  parts 
of  Antrim,  the  ministers  passed  on  to  Coleraine  and 
the  Eoute,  two  of  them  first  visiting  Bally mena.  At 
Coleraine  a  great  multitude  flocked  to  the  church  from 
town  and  country,  when  the  commissioners  explained 
the  Solemn  League  and  Covenant,  and  the  first  person 
who  took  the  oath  was  the  minister  of  the  tow^n,  Mr. 
Yesey,  who  had  formerly  taken  the  Black  Oath,  and 
who  afterwards  relapsed  and  became  Archbishop  of 
Tuam. 

Some  resistance  was  experienced  at  Coleraine  from 

Colonel  Mervjn  and  others,  but  still  greater  at  Derry, 

where  the  deputation  was  forbidden  to  come  at  their 

7 


146  TROUBLES  AT  DERRY.  [Ch.  X. 

peril.  But  believing  that  they  were  acting  under 
Divine  guidaDce,  and  finding  a  friend  in  Sir  Frederick 
Hamilton,  tliey  entered  the  town,  when  they  were  told 
by  Sir  Frederick  that  by  their  prompt  action  they  had 
escaped  a  violent  reception,  which  had  been  prepared 
for  them.  The'  day  after  their  arrival  they  were  visited 
by  the  Mayor  and  Aldermen,  and  after  various  alter- 
cations they  administered  the  oath  to  a  great  multi- 
tude. From  Deny  they  proceeded  to  Raphoe,  where 
the  whole  of  Sir  Robert  Stewart's  res^iment  took  the 
Covenant,  except  himself;  and  from  thence  to  Letter- 
kenny,  where  it  was  administered  to  Sir  William 
Stewart's  regiment.  Thence  to  Taboin  and  Ramelton. 
In  all  these  places  great  multitudes  besides  the  soldiers 
gathered  together  to  hear  the  ministers  and  to  receive 
the*  Covenant. 

On  their  return  to  Derry,  several  of  the  chief  oppo- 
nents came  to  hear  them  preach  and  explain  the 
Covenant,  by  which  means,  and  through  influence 
from  higher  quarters,  most  of  them  were  brought  to 
take  it,  not  excepting  Thornton,  the  Mayor,  and 
Colonel  Mervyn  at  Derry,  Sir  Robert  Stewart  at  Cole- 
raine,  and  Sir  William  Cole  at  Carrickfergus.  They 
then  returned  to  Down  and  Antrim,  and  administered 
the  communion  at  Newtownards,  Holy  wood  and  Bal- 
lywalter,  assisted  by  Maclelland  of  Kirkcudbright,  by 
appointment  of  the  General  Assembly  ;  and  in  July  of 
this  year  a  charch  was  regularlj^  organized  at  Belfast 

The  Solemn  League  and  Covenant,  thus  introduced 
without  coercion,  and  with  scrupulous  regard  to  the 
rights  of  conscience,  had  the  happiest  effect  through- 
out Ulster.  The  friends  of  civil  and  religious  liberty 
were  ascertained  and  united,  and  a  strong  feeling  of 


1644.1  ITS   GOOD   EFFECTS.  147 

attacliment  to  the  Presbyterian  cause  was  excited 
throusliout  the  county.  Throug^h  its  influence  Pres- 
byterianism  was  reestablished  at  points  where  it  had 
formerly  been  uprooted,  and  what  is  of  still  highet 
moment,  it  raised  the  spirit  of  true  religion  and  piety, 
which  had  almost  died  out  under  the  persecutions  of 
the  prelates  and  the  barbarities  of  the  rebellion. 
From  ihis  period  is  dated  the  Second  Reformation 
in  Ireland,  in  which  churches  and  zealous  ministers 
greatly  increased,  and  the  manners  and  habits  of  the 
people  were  manifestly  improved. 


CHAPTER      XI. 

1644,  1645. 

While  Hamilton  was  in  Ireland,  fulfilling  the  du- 
ties of  bis  commission,  he  labored  chiefly  in  the 
county  Down,  and  paid  particular  attention  to  his  old 
parish.  Bally  waiter.  Before  leaving  Ulster  he  presided 
at  a  meeting  of  the  Presbj^tery  held  at  Bangor,  in  May, 
1644,  where  a  third  petition  to  the  General  Assembly 
was  adopted,  representing  a  district  of  fifty  miles  in 
length  by  twelve  in  breadth,  containing  four  and 
twenty  congregations,  and  supplied  with  onl}^  two 
settled  ministers,  besides  three  army  chaplains  and  the 
temporary  Scotch  commissions.  In  answer  to  this  pe- 
tition,  the  Assembly,  as  before,  appointed  three  pairs 
of  ministers  to  visit  Ireland,  each  for  four  months,  be- 
ginning with  the  first  of  Aligust,  1644.  These  were 
Cockburn  of  Kirkmichael  and  McKail  of  Irvine ; 
George  Dick  of  Glenluce  and  John  Dick  of  Inch  ; 
Livingston  of  Stranraer  and  Wylie  of  Borg.  The 
same  Assembly,  at  the  request  of  the  Presbyterians 
of  Ulster,  sent  a  Latin  letter  of  thanks  to  the  church 
of  Holland  for  their  liberal  contributions  to  the  suf- 
ferers in  Ireland,  which  had  amounted  to  ten  or  twelve 
shiploads  of  clothing  and  provisions,  valued  at  more 
than  twenty  thousand  pounds.  A  vote  of  thanks 
was  also  sent  from  the  Westminster  Assembl}-,  at  the 
request  of  the  English  Parliament.  Meantime  the 
Scottish   commissioners,   sent  over  to  administer  the 


1644.]      THE    EARL    OF   ANTRIM    JOIXS    O'XEILL.  149 

Covenant  in  Ireland,  had  set  sail  homeward,  but  were 
taken  prisoners  by   a   frigate   which   was    conveying 
troops    to    Scotland,    under    the    command    of   Col- 
kitto  or  Alaster   Macdonnel.     The    Earl  of  Antrim, 
Laving  escaped  from  the  castle  of  Carrickfergus,  by 
the   aid  of  his   son-in-law,  Lieutenant   Gordon,  who 
conveyed  ropes  to  him  concealed  in  his  dress,  hastened 
to  join  O'lSTeill  at  Cbarlemont,  then  the  confederates  at 
Kilkenny,  and  finally  the  King  at  Oxford,  to  whom 
he  opened  his  plan  of  raising  the  Scottish  Highlands 
under  Montrose,  and  joining  with  them  certain  Irish 
troops  which  had  served  in  Flanders,  whose  coramu- 
nit}^   of  language   v/ould    enable   them   to   cooperate 
more  readily.     The  first  draught  or  detachment  of  this 
force  was  on  its  way  to  Scotland  in  three  vessels,  with 
the  escort  of  a  frigate,  under  the  command  of  Alaster 
Macdonnel,  when  they  fell  in  with  the  ship  in  which 
the   Scotch  commissioners  were   embarked,   and  took 
from  it   seven   or  eight   persons,   among  whom  were 
John  Weir  and  his  wife,  Hamilton  and  his  father-in- 
law   Watson,   an  Irish   minister  named  Johnson,  and 
three  laymen.     Macdonnel's  purpose  was  to  exchange 
Watson,  who  was  Lord  Claneboy's  nephew,   for  his 
own  father,  old  Colkitto,  who  was   in  the  hands  of 
Argyle ;   but  the  latter  could  not  be  persuaded  to  con- 
sent to  the  exchange.     The  prisoners  were  confined 
in  Mingarie  castle,  where  their  sufferings  were  aggra- 
vated by  an  unsuccessful  attack  of  Argyle.     All  were 
soon  discharged,  except  Weir,  Watson  and  Hamilton ; 
the  first  died  in  October,  worn  out  with  sufie rings,  the 
second  in  March,  and  the  third  was  released  in  May, 
1645,  after  a  c.iptivity  of  ten  months,  during  the  early 
part  of  which  Weir  and  Hamilton  expounded  eighty- 


150  MEETING   OF  BRITISH   OFFICERS.  [Ch.  XI. 

one  psalms  in  order,  in   tlie  hearing  of   their  fellow 
prisoners. 

In  the  meantime  the  English  Parliament  had  placed 
the  British  forces  in  Ireland  under  General  Leslie,  now 
Earl  of  Leven,  who  appointed  as  commander-in-chief 
under  him  Major  General  Monro,  already  at  the  head 
of  the   Scottish    troops  in    Ulster.      This    movement 
greatly  weakened  the  strength  of  the  royalist  party, 
as  their  main  dependence  was  in  these  British  regi- 
ments, and  it  gave  great  offense  to  Arthur  Chichester 
and  other  English   colonels.     Chichester  had  been  a 
steady  supporter  of  Charles,  in  opposition  to  the  Par- 
liament, and  had  acquiesced  cordially  in  the  "  Cessa- 
tion."     He    had  fortified   Belfast   at   Ormond's   susr- 
gestion,   and   refused  to  permit   the   Covenant  to  be 
administered  there ;  even  going  so  far  as  to  attempt 
the  administration  of  a  counter-oath  to  the  soldiers  and 
inhabitants.     "When,  therefore,  he  received  notice  of 
the  appointment  of  Monro  to  the  chief  command,  he 
called  a  meeting  of  British  colonels,  to  form  some  plan 
for  opposing  the  Scottish  commander.     Notice  of  this 
meeting  being  carried  to  Monro,  he  resolved  to  take 
this  opportunity  of  recovering  Belfast.     In  the  mean- 
time the  British  colonels  had  met  and  adjourned  till 
the  next  morning,  when  notice  of  Monro's  intended 
attack  vv-as  brought  to  them  by  a  soldier  of  Colonel 
Chichester's  regiment.     The  guards  were  immediately 
doubled  and   every   officer   ordered   upon  duty,   and 
scouts  were  sent  out  toward  Carrickfergus  to  reconnoi- 
tre.    About  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  they  returned, 
reporting  that  no  enemy  was  in  sight,  when  all  the 
guards  but  the  ordinary  watch  were  discharged.     In 
about  an  hour  Monro  surprised  the  town  through  the 


1641]  THE   BRITISH   TAKE   THE   FIELD.  151 

treacliery  of  these  scouts,  who,  meeting  him,  were  sent 
back  with  the  false  intelligence  that  no  enemy  was  in 
sight. 

This  decision  of  Monro  intimidated  the  British  col- 
onels, and  without  further  delay  the}^  submitted  to  his 
command  on  condition  that  they  should  not  be  re- 
quired to  take  any  oath  until  they  had  laid  their  scru- 
ples before  the  English  Parliament,  and  that  they 
should  be  on  the  same  footing  with  the  Sqottish  regi- 
ments in  relation  to  supplies.  By  this  union  the 
friends  of  Ormond  and  the  Cessation  lost  much  of 
their  influence  in  Ulster. 

The  united  forces  of  the  British  regiments,  under 
Lords  Montgomery  and  Claneboy  and  Sir  James  Mont- 
gomery, and  the  Scottish  regiments,  under  General 
Monro,  Lord  Lindsav,  Colonels  Home  and  Montg:om- 
ery,  took  the  field  on  the  27th  of  June,  and  on  the 
30th  were  joined  at  Armagh  by  Colonel  Hill's  regi- 
ment, commanded  by  Major  George  Eawdon,  and 
Lord  Conway's  troop  and  regiment  of  foot,  and  a  few 
da3^s  after  by  reinforcements  from  Argyle  and  Glen- 
cairn,  with  several  companies  of  Sir  John  Clotworthy's 
regiment  under  Owen  Connolly,  now  a  major;  and  to 
these  were  finally  added  the  Lagan  forces,  amounting 
in  the  whole  to  one  thousand  horse  and  ten  thousand 
foot.  They  were  now  concentrated  at  Armagh,  for  the 
purpose  of  driving  the  Irish  out  of  the  province  of 
Ulster.  This  army  was  poorly  equipped,  and  with  but 
a  few  days'  supply  of  provisions.  On  the  -ith  of  July 
they  left  Armagh,  passing  through  the  counties  of 
Monaghan  and  Cavan,  meeting  with  but  little  resist- 
ance from  the  Irish  ;  but  their  provisions  flailing  them, 
and  the  Lagan  forces  retiring,  on  the  15th  of  July  the 


152  CHANGES  IX  ENGLAND.        [Ch.  XL 

expedition  was  broken  up  and  the  regiments  retired  to 
their  quarters  in  Down  and  Antrim. 

The  Confederate  Council  at  Kilkenny,  alarmed  at 
the  strength  of  the  Protestant  party,  sent  forward  Lord 
Castlehaven  to  reinforce  O'Neill,  who  entered  Tandra- 
gee  without  opposition.  Intelligence  reaching  Monro 
of  the  approach  of  the  Irish,  he  gathered  a  force  to 
withstand  them,  but  Castlehaven,  distressed  for  want 
of  provisions,  suddenly  broke  up  his  camp  and  retired 
by  forced  marches  to  Clones  and  thence  to  Cavan.  lie 
was  pursued  by  Monro,  who,  being  unable  to  bring 
him  to  an  engagement,  returned  in  October  to  Ul- 
ster. 

After  Lord  Castlehaven  had  been  dispatched  to  Ul- 
ster, the  Irish  chiefs  made  overtures  to  Ormond  to  unite 
with  them  against  the  northern  Protestants^  and  sent 
commissioners  to  treat  with  Charles  himself  at  Oxford  ; 
here  they  met  commissioners  from  the  Protestant  party 
in  Ireland,  remonstratins;  ag^ainst  the  demands  of  the 
confederates.  Charles  dismissed  the  Romish  commis- 
sioners, with  liberal  but  ambiguous  assurances,  and 
issued  a  commission  to  Ormond,  authorizing  him  to 
conclude  a  peace  with  the  Irish  chiefs  as  he  should 
deem  most  advantageous  to  the  royal  cause.  Accord- 
ingly, in  the  beginning  of  September,  Ormond  met  the 
confederate  commissioners,  and  took  under  consider- 
ation jDropositions  which  were  made  by  both  parties  ; 
but  wishing  to  lay  the  whole  matter  before  tlie  King, 
he  adjourned  the  meeting  till  April,  1645. 

While  these  proceedings  were  in  progress,  another 
negotiation  had  commenced  in  England  between 
Charles  and  the  Parliament  at  Uxbrids^e,  which  ma- 
teriall}^  affected  the  final  action  of  the  one  now  pend- 


1645.]  LAUD   BEHEADED.  153 

ing  in  Ireland.  The.-e  negotiations  were  limited  to 
twenty  days  and  to  the  consideration  of  three  topics, 
two  of  which  were  religion  and  Ireland.  This  com- 
mission met  on  the  30th  of  January,  1645,  and  took 
up  the  first  of  these  topics,  the  discussion  of  which 
was  much  impeded  by  the  condemnation  of  Arch- 
bishop Laud.  In  February,  1640,  he  had  be:n  com- 
mitted to  prison  on  the  charge  of  high  treason,  and  in 
the  month  of  February  following  Sir  Henry  Vane  had, 
in  the  name  of  the  Commons  of  England,  preferred 
fourteen  articles  of  impeachment  against  him,  to  which 
others  were  afterwards  added  by  the  commissioners 
from  Scotland. 

And  here  it  rested  until  October,  1643,  when,  addi- 
tional charges  being  entered,  he  was  brought  to  trial  in 
March,  1644,  before  the  Houso  of  Lords,  and  after  an 
investigation  occupying  twenty  days,  the  mode  of 
proceeding  hy  impeachment,  as  in  the  case  of  Strafford, 
was  put  aside,  f;nd  b}'  a  resolution  of  the  House  a  bill 
of  attainder  was  brought  in,  and  on  the  4th  of  Janu- 
ar}^,  1645,  it  finally  passed,  and  six  days  after  Laud 
was  beheaded  on  Tower  Hill,  in  the  seventy-second 
year  of  his  age.  This  occurred  a  few  weeks  previous 
to  the  meeting  of  the  commissioners  at  Uxbridge,  and 
caused  some  embarrassment  in  their  negotiations.  On 
the  very  day  before  Laud  was  condemned  the  Com- 
mon Prayer  Book  was  abolished  by  law  throughout 
England,  and  the  Westminister  Directory  for  public 
worship  substituted  for  it.  During  this  same  period 
the  Assembly  had  been  preparing  a  plan  for  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  church  according  to  the  Solemn  League 
and  Covenant,  in  which  they  were  opposed  by  certain 

Independents,    who    published    their    "  Apologetical 

7* 


154  COMMISSIONERS   AT   UXBEIDGE .  [Ch.  XI. 

Narration"  in  February,  1644,  whicli  was  their  first 
appearance  in  history  as  a  distinct  party,  and  received 
the  name  of  the  Dissenting  Brethren.  This  pamphlet 
contained  a  plausible  appeal  to  Parliament  in  favor  of 
Independency,  setting  forth  its  peculiar  advantages 
and  its  distinguishing  principles,  but  not  a  word  is 
said  about  their  hostility  to  endowments  and  to  the 
magistrates' power,  cirai  sacra,  which  is  now-a-days  as- 
sumed as  having  been  characteristic  of  this  sect  from 
its  commencement ;  indeed,  in  one  place,  speaking  of 
the  magistrates'  power,  the  following  significant  paren- 
thesis is  inserted :  "  lo  which  we  give  as  much,  and,  as 
we  think,  more  than  the  principles  of  the  presbyterial 
government  will  suffer  them  to  yield."  In  conse- 
quence of  the  opposition  of  these  men  the  Assembly 
made  but  little  progress  in  their  work  of  fixing  the 
church  government. 

The  commissioners  of  the  Parliament  at  Uxbridge 
had  been  instructed  to  require,  as  indispensable  to  the 
treaty,  the  consent  of  the  King  to  the  ordinances  for 
abolishing  prelacy, — convoking  the  Westminister  As- 
sembly,— enforcing  the  Solemn  League  and  Covenant, 
and  substituting  the  Directory  in  place  of  the  Prayer 
Book.  They  also  insisted  upon  the  Westminister  As- 
sembly's plan  of  cburch  government,  ns  cgreed  to  by 
Parliament,  to  form  a  part  of  the  treaty.  To  all  of 
these  the  royal  commissioners  gave  a  decided  negative, 
and  after  a  discussion,  occupying  two  days,  led  by  the 
Kev.  Alexander  Henderson  on  behalf  of  the  Scottisli 
commissioners,  and  Dr.  Steward  on  behalf  of  the  Kina\ 
they  failed  to  arrive  at  any  satisfactory  result.  The 
same  was  the  case  in  respect  to  Ireland.  The  commis- 
sioners proposed  that  the  King  should  unite  with  them 


1645.]  SECRET  TREATY   WITH   ROMANISTS.  155 

in  declaring  tlie  "  Cessation  "  to  be  void  and  that  the  war 
against  the  Irish  rebels  should  be  carried  on  ;  but 
Charles,  anticipating  great  assistance  from  the  Irish 
Romanists,  refused  to  make  any  concessions,  and  the 
prescribed  time  having  expired,  the  commission  was 
broken  up  and  both  parties  prepared  to  renew  the 
war. 

The  King  now  authorized  the  Earl  of  Glamorgan, 
a  zealous  Roman  Catholic,  to  treat  with  that  party, 
and  to  promise  the  legal  restoration  of  their  church, 
as  a  recompense  for  their  assistance  in  his  conflict  with 
the  English  Parliament.  This  treaty  being  secret, 
Ormond  still  continued  his  nesrotiations  with  the  Irish 
confederates,  but  refused  to  declare  the  Scots  of  Ul- 
ster rebels,  choosing  rather  to  conciliate  them,  in  which 
he  was  favored  by  their  discontents,  arising  from  pri- 
vation and  arrears  of  pay,  and  also  from  the  growing 
power  of- the  Independents,  as  displayed  in  the  famous 
self-denying  ordinance  of  1645,  and  confirmed  by 
Cromwell's  victory  at  Naseby,  in  June  of  the  same 
year. 

But  the  Parliament,  alarmed  at  the  appearance  of 
disaffection,  resolved,  in  May,  to  raise  ten  thousand 
pounds  and  other  supplies  for  their  auxiliaries  in  Ul- 
ster. They  also  sent  commissioners  to  inquire  into 
the  state  of  the  army,  and  the  ii^eans  of  prosecuting 
the  war  more  vigorously.  These  commissioners  were 
to  use  every  method  to  remove  the  prejudices  from  the 
minds  of  the  Scots,  arising  from  the  supposed  oppo- 
sition of  the  Parliament  to  Presbyterianism,  and  by 
regaining  their  confidence  prevent  them  from  uniting 
with  the  Royalists  under  Ormond. 

The  news  of  the  appointment  reaching  Ulster,  the 


156  THE   WAR   RENEWED.  [Ch.  XI. 

British  officers  called  a  meetiog  on  the  17th  of  May, 
and  formed  a  military  union,  with  an  oath  prescribed  ; 
which  some  refusing  to  take  referred  the  matter  to  the 
Presbj^tery,  who  issued  a  declaration  to  be  read  in 
ever}^  regiment,  but  not  now  in  existence,  though  it 
seems  to  have  been  directed  against  anj^  movement 
hostile  to  the  Covenant.  In  consequence  of  this  the 
officers  renewed  the  declaration  of  their  allegiance  to 
that  compact,  and  of  their  determination  to  prosecute 
the  war  until  an  honorable  peace  should  be  obtained. 

In  proof  of  their  sinceritj^,  the  British  forces,  num- 
bering four  thousand  foot  and  six  hundred  horse,  un- 
der command  of  Sir  Robert  Stewart,  marched  into 
Con  naught  and  made  an  assault  upon  Sligo,  which 
was  soon  surrendered  by  O'Connor,  the  commander ; 
after  which  they  invaded  Mayo  and  Galway,  the  strong- 
holds of  the  rebels,  leaving  Sligo  in  command  of  Lieu- 
tenant Colonel  Galbraith.  During  their  absence  the 
Irish  hastily  collected  their  forces,  and,  led  by  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  Archbishop  of  Tuam,  reentered  Sligo 
and  seized  the  church  and  the  abby,  and  were  about  at- 
tacking the  castle,  when  they  were  surprised  by  a  body 
of  horse,  under  Sir  Charles  Coote  and  Sir  Frederick 
Hamilton,  taking  many  prisoners  and  killing  the  Arch- 
bishop. Among  his  baggage  was  found,  with  other  im- 
portant papers,  a  copy  of  Glamorgan's  secret  treaty 
with  the  Irish  chiefs,  which  w^as  immediately  pub- 
lished, showing  the  King's  complicitj^  with  the  Popish 
party.  This  discovery  alienated  for  ever  the  northern 
Scots  from  the  cause  of  Charles,  and  destroyed  the 
scheme  which  Ormond  had  formed,  by  which  lie  hoped 
to  attach  them  to  the  royalist  party. 

Soon  after  this  seasonable  discovery,  the  comrnis- 


1645.]  A   PRETENDED    PRESBYTERY.  167 

sioners  of  Parliament,  Sir  Eobert  King,  Arthur  An- 
neslej  and  Colonel  Beal,  arrived  in  Ulster,  and  to  gain 
the  confidence  of  the  Scots  they  cooperated  with  the 
Presbyterians,  enjoined  the  people  to  take  the  Cove- 
nant, and  sanctioned  all  the  proceedings  of  the  Pres- 
bytery. The  arrival  of  this  commission,  therefore, 
proved  to  be  of  the  greatest  advantage  to  the  prosperity 
and  extension  of  the  Church. 

During  this  period  the  Presbytery  had  been  very 
faithful  in  enforcing  discipline,  as.  well  as  in  opposing 
the  Independents  and  the  Baptists,  who  had  made  some 
inroads  in  Belfast,  through  the  efforts  of  one  Matthew 
Lees. 

When  Cockburn  and  M'Kail,  the  first  pair  of  com- 
missioners from  the  Scotch  Assembly,  arrived  in  Ire- 
land, they  found  the  Presbytery  troubled  by  a  singular 
proceeding  on  the  part  of  some  Episcopal  clergymen, 
in  the  Eoute,  who  had  conformed  to  the  Presbyterian 
system,  and  who  now  organized  a  Presbj'tery  of  their 
own,  but  without  ruling  elders  or  subordination  to 
church  j  udicatories.  They  held  no  correspondence  with 
the  Presbj^tery  which  sat  regularly  at  Carrickfergus, 
but  used  every  method  to  destroy  its  influence  and  au- 
thority in  the  country,  their  whole  object  being  to  de- 
ceive the  people  with  the  name  of  Presbytery,  until  a 
favorable  opportunity  would  arrive  for  throwing  off 
the  mask  and  proclaiming  prelacy. 

Under  the  direction  of  the  Scottish  commissioners, 
the  Presbytery  wrote  them  a  letter,  asking  the  number 
of  members  and  their  authority  for  forming  themselves 
into  a  Presb3'tery.  In  answer  t)  this  letter  they  sent 
Mr.  Daniel  M'Neill  and  Mr.  Fenton,  with  a  letter 
signed  by  the  moderator  and  clerk,  to  the  next  meet- 


158  SUBMIT  TO   ARMY   PRESBYTERY.  [Ch.  XI. 

ing  of  the  Presbytery.  Not  satisfied  with  this  letter 
or  the  report  of  these  commissioners,  they  were  sum- 
moned to  appear  at  the  next  meeting  of  Presbytery, 
when  most  of  them  answering  the  summons,  and  being 
interrogated,  refused  to  submit  to  its  authority,  until 
they  exhibited  their  commission  from  the  English  Par- 
liament or  the  Westminster  Assembly,  which  being 
done,  they  submitted  themselves  to  the  Army  Pres- 
bytery, as  it  was  still  called.  That  hody,  besides 
holding  frequent  da3's  of  humiliation,  on  account  of 
the  troubles  in  the  three  kingdoms,  sent  two  delegates 
to  the  General  Assembly  of  1645,  to  ask  advice  on 
certain  points  of  discipline,  and  also  to  obtain  a  new 
supply  of  ministers. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

1645,  16-16. 

The  General  Assembly  of  January,  1645,  specially 
called  before  the  usual  time  to  consider  the  Westmin- 
ster Directory  and  Form  of  Government,  was  attended 
by  the  Rev.  John  Drysdale  and  Captain  James  Wal- 
lace (of  Argvle's  regimeot)  as  commissioners  from  the 
"  Army  Presbytery,"  who  presented,  besides  the  usual 
petition  for  a  supply  of  ministers  for  Ulster,  one  from 
General  Monro,  asking  for  a  chaplain  for  his  regiment 
at  Carrickfergus,  and  several  from  Londonderry  and 
the  surrounding  districts  of  Perry  and  Donegal,  asking 
that  these  populous  Presbyterian  settlements  might  also 

be  supplied. 

In  answer  to  the  first  of  these  petitions,  the  Assem- 
bly, for  the  fourth  time,  appointed  certain  ministers  to 
spend  three  months  there  in  rotation,  among  whom  was 
Henry  Colwort,  formerly  of  Oldstone,  now  of  Paisley. 
Their  commission  directed  them  ''to  repair  unto  the 
north  of  Ireland,  and  there  to  visit,  comfort,  instruct 
and  encourage  the  scattered  flocks  of  Christ,  according 
to  the  direction  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  according  to  the 
doctrine  and  discipline  of  this  church  in  all  things." 
They  also  directed  a  suitable  chaplain  to  be  procured 
for  Monro's  regiment,  and  sent  him  a  letter  sympathizing 
in  his  trials  and  giving  him  assurance  of  their  continued 
confidence  in  his  zeal  for  the  church.  Mr.  James  Na- 
smith,  having  been  appointed  in  1644  chaplain  to  liord 


160  MEETING   OF   GENERAL   ASSEMBLY.        [Cfl.  XIL 

Montgomery's  regiment,  was  ordered  to  proceed  to 
Ireland  imraediatel}^  The  petition  from  Derry  was 
answered  favorably,  and  three  ministers  sent  over  to 
labor  for  three  months. 

The  attention  of  this  Assembly  was  also  directed  to 
the  conduct  of  Thornton,  the  Mayor  of  Derry,  whose 
interference  with  the  administration  of  the  Covenant 
has  already  been  mentioned.  It  appears  that  Thorn- 
ton had,  in  1644,  violently  opposed  the  ministers  sent 
over  from  Scotland,  and  had  thwarted  them  in  all  their 
efforts  for  supplying  the  destitute  churclies,  and  he  had 
especially,  in  official  letters,  grossly  slandered  the  Rev. 
John  Burne,  one  of  their  ministers.  Complaint  was 
accordingly  made  to  this  Assembly  by  Burne  and  the 
Presbyterians  of  that  region  through  their  commission- 
ers. The  Assembly  conceiving  that  the  church  of 
Scotland  had  been  insulted  in  the  person  of  their  min- 
ister, referred  the  matter  to  their  committee  of  bills, 
who  reported  that  the  said  Burne  and  the  church  have 
been  grievously  wronged,  and  recommended  the  As- 
sembly to  take  such  steps  as  their  wisdom  may  dictate. 
This  report  of  their  committee  was  approved  by  the 
Assembly,  and  they  ordered  the  case  to  be  laid  before 
the  Scotch  Parliament,  then  in  s  ssion,  and  also  before 
the  Enojlish  Parliament,  thioauh  their  commissioners 
attending  the  Westminster  Assembly.  The  letter 
written  to  these  commissioners  shows  clearly  that  the 
opposition  of  Thornton  was  designed  to  obstruct  alto- 
gether the  revival  of  Presbyterianism  in  that  part  of 
the  province,  and  that  therefore  the  interference  of  the 
Assembly  was  both  justifiable  and  necessarj'.  The 
Assembly,  also,  in  other  letters  to  their  commissioners 
in  London,  urged  the  speedy  transmission   to  Ireland 


1G45.]      MEASURES   FOR    EVANGELIZING   ULSTER.         161 

of  the  Directory  for  "Worship  and  the  propositions  re- 
specting government. 

On  the  return  of  Drjsdale  and  Wallace,  active  mea- 
sures were  adopted  for  the  evangelization  of  Ulster, 
especially  among  the  Roman  Catholic  population  who 
had  not  been  involved  in  the  rebellion.  Accordingly, 
in  April,  1645,  the  Presbytery  passed  an  act,  which 
was  read  in  all  the  parish  churches,  that  the  papists 
"  should  be  dealt  with  by  the  several  ministers,  to  con- 
vince them  of  their  idolatry  and  errors,  and  bring  them 
over  to  the  truth ;  or  otherwise  to  enter  into  process 
against  them  in  order  to  excommunication."  In  the 
midst  of  this  movement  Livingston  and  the  last  minis- 
ters appointed  by  the  Assembly  of  1644  arrived  and 
joined  the  Presbytery.  This  was  the  third  visit  of 
Livingston  to  the  place  of  his  early  labors  since  the 
rebellion.  During  his  stay  he  assisted  in  the  settlement 
of  David  Buttle  at  Ballymena,  and  Archibald  Fergu- 
son at  Antrim,  where  Livingston  himself  had  been 
called.  A  call  was  also  at  this  time  -presented  to  him 
from  the  parishes  of  Killileagh  and  New^townards,  and 
one  to  Hamilton  from  Bally  waiter,  which  were  both 
declined. 

Ulster  was  now  in  a  state  of  comparative  tranquil- 
lity, the  ministers  appointed  by  the  General  Assembly 
meeting  wdth  no  interruption  in  the  discharge  of  their 
duties,  which  they  carried  on  during  the  summer.  It 
became,  therefore,  an  asylum  for  many  families  flj'ing 
from  the  violence  of  Montrose,  who  had  espoused  the 
royal  cause,  and  at  the  head  of  several  Highland  clans, 
reinforced  by  fifteen  hundred  Irish  from  Ulster  (the 
same  who,  under  Colkitto,  had  captured  Weir  and 
Hamilton),    was  spreading   consternation  and   terror 


162  ENGLISH   COMMISSIONERS.  [Ch.  XU. 

throughout  the  kingdom.  His  brilliant  but  cruel  cam- 
paign was  crowned  by  the  battle  of  Kilsjthe,  in  which 
the  Covenanters  were  totally  routed. 

The  English  commissioners,  now  appointed  "  gov- 
ernors of  the  province  of  Ulster,"  who  had  arrived  in 
October,  gave  additional  strength  to  the  Presbyterian 
cause  in  Ireland,  by  siding  with  the  Army  Presbytery 
against  that  of  the  Eoute,  already  mentioned,  though 
sustained  by  Dr.  Colville,  a  Scottish  prelatist  of  wealth 
and  influence  in  Ulster.  The  commissioners,  while  thus 
favoring  the  Presbyterians,  did  not  forget  the  other 
part  of  their  commission — to  organize  a  party  favor- 
able to  the  Parliament,  in  opposition  to  the  Scots. 
Jealousies  had  already  arisen  between  them,  which 
soon  after  terminated  in  open  hostilit3\  The  power  of 
the  Independents  was  fast  gaining  gTound ;  and  although 
they  could  not  withstand  the  universal  wish  of  the 
people  to  have  Presby  terianism  established,  yet  they  de- 
termined to  throw  all  possible  obstacles  in  the  way  of 
its  progress,  and  to  this  end  the  Commons,  on  the  13th 
of  March,  by  a  vote,  afterwards  embodied  in  their  ordi- 
nance of  the  subsequent  March,  resolved  to  remove  the 
right  of  appeal,  in  matters  purely  spiritual,  from  the 
ecclesiastical  to  the  civil  courts.  The  Parliament,  also, 
sought  to  place  the  power  of  supension  from  the  Lord's 
table  under  the  control  of  the  State.  They  appointed 
]ay  commissioners,  with  power  to  modify  or  reverse  ec- 
clesiastical censures;  and  the  Parliament  itself  was 
constituted  the  last  resort  in  all  disputed  cases  of  dis- 
cipline. These  Erastian  measures  were  warmly  op- 
posed by  the  Scots  and  Presbyterians,  and  the  West- 
minster Assembl};-  petitioned  the  two  Houses  against 
this  interference   with  the   spiritual  functions   of  the 


1645.]    THE   SURRENDER   OF   BELFAST  DEMANDED.      168 

Church,  decharing  that  if  the  alternative,  of  forsaking 
their  pLaces  in  the  Churcli,  or  partaking  in  the  sins 
Avhich  must  result,  was  presented,  they  would,  "  with 
God's  gTace,  choose  affliction  rather  than  iniquity." 

The  increasing  strength  of  the  Presbyterian  party 
led  the  Parliament,  on  the  13th  of  November,  to  order 
that  Belfast  be  surrendered  by  the  Scottish  forces  to 
their  oommissioneis  in  Ulster  before  the  17th  of  Janu- 
ary, on  the  plea  that  the  original  treaty  between  En- 
gland and  Scotland  did  not  warrant  the  troops  of  the 
latter  to  possess  any  garrison  but  Carrickfergus  and 
Coleraine.  This  order  was  dispatched  to  the  Scottish 
Parliament,  then  sitting  in  Edinburgh;  and  at  the 
same  time  a  demand  was  made  upon  Colonel  Home  for 
the  surrender  of  the  town,  who  refused  to  comply  until 
he  had  received  instructions  from  the  Scottish  Parlia- 
ment. Accordingly  Monro  wrote,  informing  tlie  Par- 
liament of  the  demand,  and  asking  directions  how  to 
proceed,  at  the  same  time  suggesting  that  the  giving  up 
of  Belfast  would  be  the  giving  up  of  Ireland.  Tiie  reply 
given  by  the  Parliament  to  Monro  is  not  in  existence, 
but  no  formal  surrender  of  the  town  took  place  ;  and 
the  flight  of  Charles  into  the  quarters  of  the  Scottish 
forces  in  Newark  made  it  impolitic  to  press  the  de- 
mand further. 

Charles,  by  his  disastrous  defeat  at  Naseby,  and  the 
reverses  of  Montrose  in  Scotland,  lost  all  hope  of  re- 
trieving his  fortune  by  arms,  and  determined  to  try 
the  effect  of  negotiation  and  intrigue.  He  therefore 
wrote  to  the  Presbyterians  and  Independents,  pj-ofe^s- 
ing  to  desire  the  ascendency  of  both  ;  but,  having  suf- 
fered fi'om  his  hypocrisy,  they  risfused  to  listen  to  his 
professions,  and  being  sorely  pressed  by  the   Parlia- 


164  O'NEILL   ATTACKS   ULSTEK.  [Ch.  XIL 

mentary  forces  at  Oxford,  under  Fairfax,  tlie  liero  oP 
Naseby,  he  determined  to  throw  himself  upon  the  gen- 
erosity of  the  Scotch  forces  at  Newark,  where,  disguised 
as  a  servant,  and  guided  b}^  a  clergyman  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  roads,  he  arrived  on  the  5th  of 
May,  after  many  narrow  escapes  on  the  journey.  This 
put  a  stop  to  the  four  years'  civil  war,  and  gave  the 
Presbyterians  a  temporary  ascendency  over  the  Inde- 
pendents. 

The  suspension  of  hostilities  was  felt  in  Ireland,  and 
led  the  English  commissioners  to  relinquish  their  de- 
signs upon  Belfast,  and  cordially  cooperate  with  the 
Scottish  garrison  against  the  Irish,  now  united  with 
Ormond  by  a  treaty  with  the  council  of  Kilkennj^, 
which,  however,  was  opposed  by  the  extreme  Papists 
led  by  the  Pope's  Nuncio.  This  party  induced  Owen 
Roe  O'Neill,  with  his  army  of  nearly  five  thousand 
foot  and  five  hundred  horse,  to  join  his  standard. 
With  this  reinforcement  they  made  a  descent  uj)on 
Ulster.  Monro,  in  the  meantime,  having  collected 
his  forces,  marched  towards  Armagh,  Argyle's  regi- 
ment being  left  to  protect  Carrickfergus.  On  the  5th 
of  June  they  received  information  that  the  enemy  were 
on  their  march  to  Beuburb  and  Charlemont,  and  a 
party  was  advanced  toward's  Armagh,  in  sight  of 
O'Neill's  camp,  to  prevent  them  from  making  an 
attack  upon  Colonel  Monro,  who  was  advancing  from 
Dungannon.  The  maneuvre  did  not  succeed,  a  party 
being  pushed  forward  to  the  attack,  which  was  repulsed 
by  Monro,  who  finding  the  fort  and  bridge  at  Benburb 
strongly  guarded,  proceeded  up  the  river  and  crossed 
at  Kinnard. 

About  six  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  enscaQfement 


164R.]  THE   SCOTS   ROUTED.  165 

commenced,  O'Neill  ordering  his  troops  to  advance  to 
the  assault.  Lord  Blanev,  with  his  En2:lish  reoiment, 
kept  their  position  until  he  and  most  of  his  men  were 
cut  off;  but  the  charge  of  O'Neill's  cavalry  upon  the 
Scottish  horse  threw  the  whole  bod}'  into  disorder,  and 
a  general  rout  ensued,  Sir  James  Montgomery's  regi- 
ment being  the  only  one  which  retired  in  a  body. 
Colonel  Conwa}^,  after  having  two  horses  shot  under 
him,  escaped  to  Kewry  ;  Lord  Montgomery  was  taken 
prisoner  ;  and  more  than  three  thousand  were  left  dead 
upon  the  field  of  battle.  Monro  fled  to  Lisburn,  arous- 
ing the  country  through  which  be  passed,  and  creat- 
ing a  general  consternation,  many  flying  to  Scotland. 
O'Neill  might  now  have  possessed  himself  of  Down 
and  Antrim,  had  not  a  dispatch  reached  him  from  the 
Pope's  Nuncio  at  Limerick,  congratulating  him  on  his 
victory,  and  desiring  him  to  march  immediately  to  his 
assistance.  At  the  time  this  dispatch  was  received  he 
was  about  falling  upon  the  Scots'  quarters  at  Tan- 
dragee  ;  but  in  obedience  to  the  Nuncio  he  marched 
with  his  whole  army  into  Leinster,  thus  resigning  the 
opportunity  of  further  conquests  in  Ulster.  The  army 
of  General  Monro  entered  this  battle  under  great  dis- 
advantages, being  jaded  and  fatigued,  after  a  twelve 
hours  march,  and  a  large  part  of  their  force  under 
Colonel  Monro  being  unable  to  make  a  junction  in 
time  to  be  of  any  assistance  ;  so  that  when  the  ene- 
mies' squadrons  charged  upon  their  cavalrj-  they  -were 
unable  to  stand  the  shock,  and,  while  retreating,  broke 
the  line  of  their  own  infantry,  and  a  general  panic  en- 
sued. 

During  this  trying  period  the  Presbytery,  although 
perplexed  and  alarmed,  continued  their  labors  without 


166  THE   GENEEAL  ASSEMBLY.  [Ch.  XII 

interruption.  Tlie  ministers  of  the  Assembly  who  had 
finished  the  period  of  their  appointment  in  March,  were 
followed  by  Hutchinson  of  Colraonel,  and  Livingston. 
They  were  accompanied  by  commissioners  from  the 
Scotch  Parliament,  sent  to  confer  with  the  English 
commissioners  respecting  the  settlement  of  affairs  in 
Ireland.  During  the  stay  of  these  ministers  several 
young  men  from  Scotland  applied  to  be  taken  on  trial, 
in  view  of  their  settlement  in  Ulster;  but  the  demoral- 
izing effects  of  the  war  made  the  Presbyter}'  cautious 
in  receiving  candidates,  though  several  valuable  min- 
isters were  soon  after  added  to  their  number. 

The  General  Assembly,  which  met  in  Edinburgh  on 
the  4th  of  June,  received  as  commissioners  from  the 
Presbytery  in  Ireland  Archibald  Ferguson  of  Antrim, 
minister,  and  John  Edmoustone  of  Ballybantrim,  ruling 
elder.  Besides  the  usual  petition  for  a  supplj^  of  min- 
isters, these  commissioners  presented  a  memorial  from 
several  places,  praying  that  certain  ministers  who  were 
formerly  settled  in  Ireland  might  return  to  their  par- 
ishes, and  also  one  from  Donegal  and  Derrj^,  for  a 
second  supply.  The  Assembly,  owing  to  the  press  of 
business,  referred  their  petitions  to  the  commissioners 

m 

of  the  Church,  with  power  to  act  as  the  case  seemed  to 
require.  And  on  the  return  of  Mr.  Ferguson  he  re- 
ported to  the  Presbytery  that  Livingston,  Hutcheson, 
Henderson  and  Robert  Hamilton  had  been  desio'nated, 
if  they  and  their  parishes  would  give  their  consent  ; 
but  when  the  matter  was  brought  before  the  commis- 
sion they  declined  to  take  anj^  action,  but  in  view 
of  the  great  necessities  then  existing  in  Ireland,  they 
appointed  Livingston,  Hutcheson,  and  Coltwart  to 
visit  them  for  a  space  of  three  months. 


164G]  ECCLESIASTICAL   REFORM.  167 

The  En  owlish  Parliament  had  enac-ed  that  lav  courts 
of  appeal  should  be  erected  in  Ulster,  wh^'ch  would 
have  resulted  in  a  collision  between  them  and  the  ec- 
clesiastical courts,  and  of  which  the  commissioners 
complained,  yet  in  other  respects  they  had  concurred 
in  the  plan  proposed  hy  the  "Westminster  Assembly. 
Prelacy  was  abolished ;  the  Directory  was  put  in  the 
place  of  the  prayer-book  ;  the  government  of  the 
church,  through  sessions,  presbyteries,  synods  and  gen- 
eral assemblies^  was  established  by  ordinance,  yet 
throughout  the  whole  business  the  Independents  ren- 
dered the  establishment  unsettled.  For  example,  the 
Assembly  urged  that  no  assembly  except  the  parochial 
one  established  by  law  should  be  permitted  to  meet  in 
any  parish ;  in  this  the  Parliament  refused  to  concur, 
and  hence  arose  the  discussion  between  the  Presby- 
terians and  the  "  Sectaries"  respecting  toleration  ;  and 
thus  both  parties,  in  the  heat  of  debate,  were  hurried 
into  extreme  and  indefensible  opinions,  and  thus 
originated  the  unguarded  and  somewhat  ambiguous 
expressions  on  the  subject  of  the  magistrates'  power, 
which  are  to  be  found  in  the  Westminster  Confession 
of  Faith  compiled  at  this  critical  period,  and  which, 
though  controled  in  their  interpretation,  by  the  other 
sound  principles  asserted  therein,  so  as  to  exclude 
them  from  bearing  a  persecuting  or  Erastian  sense, 
are  certainly  not  such  as  Presbj^terians  would  now 
employ. 

In  the  meantime  several  of  the  cons^reo^ations  had 
succeeded  in  inducing  young  men  from  Scotland  to 
accept  their  calls,  and  the  Presbytery  was  employed 
during  the  remainder  of  the  year  in  examining  these 
**  expectants."      The    first    among    this   number   was 


168  MINISTERS   SENT   FROM   SCOTLAND.         [Ch.  XII. 

Patrick  Adair,  who  was  on  the  Tth  of  May  ordained 
minister  of  Cairncastle,  who  for  half  a  century  was 
one  of  the  eminent  leaders  of  the  Presbyterian  interest 
in  Ulster.     During  the  months  of  August  and  Septem- 
ber, Thomas  Hall  was  settled  at  Inver,  Eobert  Cun- 
ningham in  Broadisland,  and  Anthony  Shaw  in  Bel- 
fast, the  two  former  of  whom  continued  in  their  charges 
for  fifty  years.      Soon  after,  Anthony  Kennedy  was 
settled  in  Templepatrick,  and  the  entry  of  his  ordina- 
tion is  still  extant  in  the  session-book  of  that  congre- 
gation.    Through   fifty-one   years  of  conflict   he   re- 
mained their  pastor.     In  1688,  through  infirmity  and 
age,  he  desired  to  demit  his  charge,  for  reasons  well 
worth  recording :   "  Whereas  Mr.  Anthonj^  Kennedy 
hath  supplicated  this  meeting  that,  in  consideration  of 
his  age,  and  thereby  of  his  infirmity  and  weakness  of 
body,  whereby  he  is  disabled  from   any  part  of  his 
ministerial  work,  except  it  be  to  preach  now  and  then 
as  he  is  helped,  and  that  he  can  not  catechise,  visit 
families  or  sick  as  were  necessary,  he  now  gives  up  the 
charge  of  his  present  flock,  first  to  Christ,  and  then  to 
his  Presbytery,  for  their  future  supply ;  not  that  he 
fears  persecution,  or  danger,  or  maintenance,  though 
he  has  spent  a  good  part  of  his  own  patrimony  in  sup- 
plying that  charge,  which  if  now  to  the  fore  might  be 
comfortable  to  his  posterity;  but  finding  his  own  weak- 
ness disabling  him  from  the  needful  work  of  such  a 
charge,  and  the  ingratitude  of  some  who  make  no  con- 
science to  receive  the  gospel  and  subject  themselves  to 
it,  he  now  willingl}^  and  sincerely  demits  his  charge  of 
the  people   of  Templepatrick  ;  and  in  the  meantime, 
till  further  or  better  supply  be  provided,  he  will  al- 
low a  third  of  his  current  stipend  towards  the  support 


1646.]  SETTLEMENT   OF   MINISTERS.  169 

of  an  assistant  to  himself  in  the  work  of  the  ministry." 
His  resignation  was  not  accepted,  but  he  remained 
with  his  people  till  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the 
11th  of  December,  1697. 

After  the  settlement  of  Kennedy,  John  Baird,  chap- 
lain of  Argyle's  regiment,  was  settled  at  Dervock,  in 
Antrim,  and  John  Greg  at  Carrickfergus.  In  the 
month  of  December,  Mr.  Weir  was  sent  to  make 
another  application  to  the  commission  of  the  church  in 
Edinburg  for  permission  to  be  given  to  Livingston  to 
settle  at  Newtonards,  and  Henderson  at  Killileagh, 
which  was  again  refused,  but  renewed  their  former 
order  for  Livingston,  Colwart,  and  Hutchinson,  forth- 
with "  to   repair  to  Ireland  for  visiting  the  distressed 

Christians  there." 

About  this  time  Thomas  Peebles,  chaplain  to  Lord 
Eglinton's  regiment,  was  installed  at  Dundonald,  Gil- 
bert Ramsay  at  Bangor,  and  James  Gordon  at  Com- 
ber, all  in  the  county  Down ;  and  in  Donegal,  Hugh 
Cunningham,  chaplain  to  Lord  Glencairu's  regiment, 
was  settled  at  Ray,  in  the  Lagan,  and  William  Temple 
at  Letterkenny  ;  and  in  a  few  favored  parishes  in  the 
counties  of  Derry  and  Tyrone  several  ministers  whose 
names  can  not  now  be  recovered  were  happily  planted. 
At  the  beginniusf  of  the  year  16^7,  in  addition  to  the 
army  chaplain  and  occasional  supplies  from  Scotland, 
there  were  nearly  thirty  ordained  ministers  perma- 
nently settled  in  Ulster. 

8 


CHAPTER     XIII. 

1646-1649. 

O'Neill,  having  joined  the  ISTuncio  at  Kilkenny, 
united  with  him  in  opposing  the  peace  which  Ormond 
had  concluded  with  the  confederate  council.  The 
Nuncio,  under  protest  that  the  Roman  Catholics  had 
not  been  properly  cared  for  in  the  treaty  negotiated 
between  Ormond  and  the  confederate  council,  pro- 
nounced the  highest  censure  of  the  Church  upon  them, 
imprisoning  the  members  of  the  council,  and  substitut- 
ing, in  most  instances,  bishops  in  their  place,  and  put- 
ting himself  at  their  head,  thus  usurping  the  control 
of  the  kingdom.  He  now  ordered  O'Neill  to  blockade 
Dublin  ;  but  Ormond,  who  held  the  city,  anticipating 
this  movement,  sent  messages  to  the  English  Par- 
liament, and  Colonel  Arthur  Chichester  to  Ulster, 
informing  them  of  the  danger.  The  British  and 
Scotch  officers  in  Ulster  immediately  sent  Captain 
William  Cunningham  to  Dublin  to  gain  more  partic- 
ular information  of  the  condition  of  affairs.  Ormond 
sent  back  the  messenger  with  the  urgent  request  that 
they  would  send  him  reinforcements,  and  promising 
great  booty  in  return  for  their  services. 

The  English  commissioners,  who  were  still  in  Ulster, 
on  the  27th  of  October  sent  forward  a  detachment  of 
seven  hundred  dragoons,  under  the  command  of  Col- 
onel Conway,  the  son  of  Lord  Conway,  and  Lieuten- 


1647.]  ENGLISH   COMMISSIONERS   ARRIVE.  171 

ant  Colonel  Owen  O'Connellj.  They  met  and  defeated 
O'Neill  near  Clones,  and,  after  ravaging  tiie  counties 
of  Monaghan  and  Cavan,  returned,  as  Ormond  had. 
promised,  with  a  large  supply  of  cattle  to  Lisburn. 
Just  at  this  period  Sir  Francis  Willoughby  arrived  at 
Dublin  from  England,  with  the  news  that  a  parliament- 
ary force  would  sail  to  their  aid  immediately  by  the 
way  of  Chester.  But  Ormond,  wishing  to  form  a  coal- 
ition with  the  Scots,  with  whom  the  King  now  resided, 
rather  than  with  the  Parliament,  sent  another  urgent 
request  to  the  Scottish  officers  for  further  assistance. 
They  wrote  in  return  from  Carrickfergiis,  on  the  lOth 
of  ISTovember,  stating  several  difficulties  which  lay  in 
the  way  of  immediate  assistance,  but  that  if  these  could 
be  removed  they  were  willing  to  do  all  in  their  power 
to  assist  him. 

Two  days  before  this  answer  reached  Ormond  the 
commissioners  from  Parliament,  one  of  whom  was  Sir 
John  Clotworthy,  arrived  in  the  bay  of  Dublin,  with 
men  and  stores,  and  immediately  opened  negotiations 
with  Ormond  for  the  delivery  of  the  city,  and  after 
twenty  days  of  deliberation,  the  conditions  proposed 
by  the  commissioners  were  refused  by  Ormond.  They 
therefore  reembarked  the  troops  and  proceeded  to  Ul- 
ster, where  they  were  received  with  gi'eat  coldness, 
with  difficulty  gaining  admittance  to  Belflist,  while 
the  troops  were  refused  entrance  either  to  that  place 
or  Carrickfergus. 

This  coolness  to  the  English  commissions  arose 
from  the  fact  that  their  commissioners  were  at  this  time 
in  London  applying  to  the  Parliament  for  the  payment 
of  the  arrears  of  the  army,  and  until  they  could  hear 
the  result  of  this  application  they  were  unwilling  to 


172  ORMOND   SURRENDEES   DUBLIN.  [Cn.  XIII. 

admit  these  forces  into  their  garrison.  This  refusal, 
and  their  private  correspondence  with  Ormond,  offended 
both  Houses  of  Parliament,  and  the  enemies  of  the 
Presbyterians  took  occasion  to  represent  the  Scottish 
army  in  Ireland  as  inefficient,  and  evincing  a  disposi- 
tion to  unite  with  the  Irish  and  Ormond,  and  therefore 
did  not  deserve  their  arrears.  Intelhgence  of  this 
reaching  Ireland,  the  officers  assembled  at  Carrickfer- 
gus  on  the  2JLlth  of  February,  1647,  and  drew  up  a 
''  Declaration,"  stating  their  difficulties,  and  vindi- 
cating themselves  froM^  the  imputations  cast  upon 
them. 

After  the  unsuccessful  negotiations  between  Ormond 
and  the  commissioners  of  Parliament,  he  attempted  to 
affect  an  arrangement  with  the  Nuncio's  party  ;  but 
this  failing,  and  his  position  in  Dublin  becoming  every 
day  more  critical,  he  determined  to  surrender  the  city 
to  the  Parliament  on  the  conditions  which  had  already 
been  proposed.  He  therefore,  in  the  beginning  of 
February,  reopened  negotiations  with  the  commision- 
ers,  who  were  at  that  time  in  Ulster  ;  but  they,  fear- 
ing that  it  would  end  as  before,  required  Ormond  to 
send  four  hostages  to  England,  as  proof  of  his  sincer- 
ity ;  which  he  complying  with,  sent  over  his  second 
son  and  three  others,  one  of  whom  w^as  Colonel  Arthur 
Chichester.  Upon  their  reception  in  England,  the  par- 
liamentary forces  immediately  left  Ulster  for  Dublin, 
where  they  arrived  in  the  month  of  March,  being  fol- 
lowed soon  after  by  fresh  troops  from  England  ;  and 
on  the  7th  day  of  May,  new  commissioners,  including 
only  two  of  the  old  ones,  appointed  to  treat  with  Or- 
mond, reached  the  metropolis,  and  twenty  days  after, 
the  treaty  was  signed  and  ratified  ;  and  on  the  27th  of 


1647.]  MONCK.  173 

Jiilv,  Ormond  delivered  up  the  castle  and  sailed  for 

England. 

Immediately  upon  taking  possession  of  the  city,  or- 
ders were  given  for  the  Directory  for  Worship  to  be 
adopted  in  all  the  churches,  and  the  prayer-book  to  be 
prohibited.  This  was  opposed  by  the  Episcopal  clergy, 
who  had,  under  the  protection  of  Ormond,  become  quite 
numerous  in  the  city;  but  their  remonstrance  was  un- 
availing. There  being  now  no  further  need  of  the 
Scotch  forces  in  Ulster,  orders  for  their  recall  were 
sent  to  the  Scottish  Parliament  on  the  7th  of  Septem- 
ber. An  ordinance  to  this  effect  had,  as  early  as  the 
month  of  March,  passed  the  Commons,  and  steps  had 
been  taken  to  induce  the  House  of  Lords,  who  were 
unwilling  to  act  until  all  arrears  had  been  paid  to  the 
army,  to  agree  to  this  movement,  but  on  the  promise 
that  this  should  be  done  they  finally  gave  their  consent. 

The  English  Parliament  now  resolved  to  prosecute 
the  war  in  Ireland  with  the  parliamentary  forces  alone, 
and  on  the  16th  of  July  appointed  Colonel  George 
Monck  to  the  command  of  all  the  British  regiments  in 
Ulster,  with  the  exception  of  the  regiments  at  Derry 
and  in  the  Lagan,  which  were  under  Sir  Charles  Coote, 
the  commanders  of  the  different  regiments  having 
already  been  superseded  by  parliamentary  officers. 
Colonel  Monck,  who  was  now  in  the  supreme  com- 
mand, had  been  a  military  adventurer  in  the  royal  ser- 
vice, and  had  been  taken  prisoner  by  Fairfax,  and 
confined  in  the  tower,  but  was  released  on  taking  the 
Solemn  League  and  Convenant,  and  was  taken  into  the 
service  of  the  Parliament.  On  his  arrival  in  Ireland 
he  fixed  his  head-quarters  at  Lisburn,  and  immediately 
addressed  himself  to  the  conciliation  of  the  Presbytery, 


174  LABORS   OF  THE   PRESBYTERY.  [^h-  XIII. 

bj  representing  tlie  Parliament  as  warmly  attached  to 
the  Presbyterians,  and  in  favor  of  the  Covenant.  In 
this  he  was  more  successful  than  Coote,  President  of 
Connaught,  who,  when  he  took  the  field  in  November 
against  the  rebels,  could  with  difficulty  muster  a  suffi- 
cient force  for  the  expedition.  Indeed,  so  unpopular 
was  the  Parliament  at  this  time,  both  with  the  Scots  and 
British,  that  a  secret  organization  was  on  foot  in  Mun- 
ster  to  declare  in  favor  of  King,  Parliament,  and  Cove- 
nant, in  op]30sition  to  the  "  army  of  Sectaries,"  who 
were  usurping  the  supreme  power  of  the  State.  Their 
designs  were  now  defeated  by  the  wisdom  and  sagacity 
of  Cromwell ;  but  the  principal  part  of  the  Lagan  forces 
under  the  Stewarts  absolutely  refused  to  obey  Coote's 
orders. 

During  this  eventful  year  the  labors  of  the  Presby- 
tery in  Ulster  were  steadily  continued,  vacant  congre- 
gations were  visited,  and  discipline  faithfully  enforced. 
An  act  was  passed  encouraging  ''privy  censures,"  as 
they  were  called,  which  has  long  been  common  in  the 
church  of  Scotland  ;  once  or  twice  a  year,  every  minis- 
ter or  elder  was  required  to  state  whether  they  knew 
of  any  scandal,  fault,  or  negligence  in  their  brethren, 
which  required  censure,  which  was  passed  upon  any 
who  deserved  it,  they  hoping  by  this  method  to  keep 
up  their  authority  over  their  members  and  insure 
greater  fidelity. 

Monck  and  Coote  now  settled  in  their  commands  at 
Lisburn  and  Derry,  professed  great  interest  in  the  af- 
fairs of  the  Presbytery,  ofiering  them  every  assistance 
in  reforming  abuses  among  the  ministers  and  immoral 
practices  among  the  people.  The  Presbytery,  knowing 
the  cunning  of  these  politicians,  determined,  neverthe- 


1648-]  MONTGOMERY   RELEASED.  175 

less,  to  use  the  opportunity  which  Providence  had 
thrown  in  their  way  for  the  reformation  of  the  church, 
and  returned  them  letters  of  thanks  for  their  zeal  and 
assistance.  While  these  commanders  were  thus  ingra- 
tiating themselves  with  the  Presbyterj^  they  still  car- 
ried on  their  operations  against  the  rebels,  who  were 
hovering  upon  the  borders  of  Ulster.  In  Februar}', 
164:8,  Monck  dispatched  Colonel  Conway,  with  a  party 
of  horse,  toward  Cavan,  who  dispersed  the  forces  of 
O'lSTeill  in  that  quarter.  O'Xeill,  discouraged  by  this 
reverse,  and  feai'ing  that  he  would  be  unable  to  hold 
much  longer  the  castle  of  Cloughouter,  in  which  Lord 
Montgomery  had  been  confined  since  the  battle  of 
Benburb,  agreed  to  an  exchange  of  Montgomery  and 
his  party  for  Sir  Theophilus  Jones,  the  Earl  of  West- 
meath,  and  Colonel  Byrne,  which  exchange  was  ef- 
fected in  the  latter  part  of  February. 

On  his  release,  Lord  Montgomery  resumed  his  com- 
mand and  cooperated  with  Monck.  In  the  month  of 
March,  Monck  held  a  council  of  war,  consistiug  of  fif- 
teen British  officers,  for  the  purpose  of  making  ar- 
rangements *for  the  approaching  campaign.  He  had 
continued  to  retain  the  confidence  of  these  officers,  but 
there  was  still  a  great  jealousy  existing  between  him 
and  the  Scottish  army  under  Monro,  whom  he  endeav- 
ored by  every  method  to  injure,  which  led  them  to 
write  to  him,  on  the  1st  of  April,  from  Carrickfergus, 
respectfully,  yet  decidedly,  complaining  of  his  treat- 
ment. There  is  no  answer  to  this  letter  on  record,  and 
it  is  unknown  whether  he  gave  them  any  satisfaction. 

O'Neill,  aware  of  this  want  of  cordiality  between  the 
British  and  the  Scots,  determined,  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  month  of  April,  to  make  an  attack  upon  Lisburn 


176  CONCLUSION   OF  THE   WAR.  [Cu-  XIII 

with  his  Charlemont  forces,  but  Monck  getting  word  of 
this,  anticipated  the  movement  by  attacking  O'Niell's 
quarters,  totally  routing  him,,  and  leaving  nearly  a 
thousand  dead  on  the  field,  and  capturing  all  theii 
arms  and  baggage. 

During  these  transactions  in  Ireland,  the  Scottish 
army  in  the  north  of  England  had  received  their  ar- 
rears, and  on  the  30th  of  January,  1647,  had  deliv- 
ered the  King  to  commissioners  from  both  Houses  of 
Parliament.  This  step  appeared  to  be  unavoidable  to 
save  themselves  from  the  charge  of  treachery  to  the 
Parliament,  or  of  disloyalty  to  the  King.  The  war 
being  nov^  concluded,  and  the  Scots  withdrawn,  Par- 
liament determined  to  disband  their  army  under  Fair- 
fax and  Cromwell.  But  they,  flushed  v/ith  successes 
and  encouraged  by  the  Independents  in  Parliament, 
in  the  month  of  June,  seized  the  person  of  the  King, 
and  menaced  the  metropolis,  and  wishing  to  break  the 
power  of  the  Presbyterians,  impeached  eleven  of  the 
most  distinguished  members  of  that  party  in  the  Com- 
mons, among  whom  was  Sir  John  Clot  worthy,  and  by 
thus  excluding  them  from  the  House  they  gained  the 
ascendency. 

In  the  meantime,  Charles,  after  negotiating  with  the 
three  great  parties  of  the  State,  the  army,  the  Parlia- 
ment and  the  Scots,  on  the  26th  of  December,  con- 
cluded a  secret  treaty  with  the  commissioners  of  the 
latter,  in  which  he  bound  himself  to  establish  the 
Presbyterian  church  for  three  years,  but  annexed  was 
the  clause  that  he  "  was  neither  obli2:ed  to  desire  the 
settling  that  government,  nor  to  present  an}^  bills  to 
that  effect."  The  Scots,  on  their  part,  engaged  to  sup- 
port Charles  against^  the  army  and   the  Parliament, 


1648.]  THE   ENGAGEMENT.  177 

with  force  if  necessary.  This  treaty  is  known  as  the 
"  Engagement,"  and  resulted  most  disastrously  to 
Charles  himself  and  to  the  kingdom  of  Scotland. 
"When  it  was  made  known  in  Edinburgh,  it  was  unan- 
imously denounced  by  the  ministers  througliout  the 
kingdom  as  a  desertion  of  the  Covenant  and  an  un- 
holy alliance,  and  was  opposed  in  Parliament  by  a 
large  majoritj^,  headed  by  the  Marquis  of  Argyle. 
The  commission  of  the  Church  also  pronounced  the 
treaty  unsatisfactory  ;  that  no  security  was  given  for 
the  maintenance  of  the  Presbyterian  system,  but  on 
the  other  hand  its  tendency  was  to  restore  prelacy  and 
undo  all  that  had  already  been  accomplished  towards 
reformation  ;  and  that  it  was  dangerous  to  the  liberties 
both  of  the  Church  and  State. 

The  majority  of  Parliament  having  determined  upon 
a  war  for  the  purpose  of  rescuing  the  King  from  cap- 
tivity, the  Duke  of  Hamilton  was  appointed  to  the 
command ;  but  such  was  the  opposition  of  the  Church, 
that  it  w^as  found  almost  impossible  to  raise  a  suf- 
ficient force.  Commissioners  were  therefore  sent  to 
Ulster  to  induce  the  Scottish  forces  there  to  declare 
for  the  Engagement,  and  at  the  same  time  a  letter  was 
sent  to  the  Presbytery  at  Carrickfergus,  vindicating 
the  cause  of  the  Parliament,  and  ordering  them  '*  to 
stir  up  the  people  by  their  preaching  and  prayers  to 
a  cheerful  obedience  to  their  orders,  and  a  ready  ac- 
quiescence in  the  Engagement." 

To  prevent  the  accomplishment  of  this  plan,  Liv- 
ingston was  sent  to  Ulster,  and  through  his  influence 
a  Declaration  or  warning  was  issued  by  the  Presbjtery, 
which  was  read  from  all  their  pulpits;  but,  notwithstand- 
ing, twelve  hundred  horse  and  two  thousand  foot  were 

8* 


178  DELEGATES  TO  THE  ASSEMBLY.  [Ch.  XIII. 

enrolled,  under  tlie  command  of  Sir  George  Monro 
as  major  general. 

The  Presbytery  sent  the  Eev.  John  Grreg,  of  Car- 
rickfergus,  to  the  Assembly,  which  met  in  Edinburg 
in  the  beginning  of  July,  1648,  through  whom  they 
declared  their  opposition  to  the  restoration  of  the 
King,  and,  as  on  former  occasions,  petitioned  for  a 
supply  of  ministers.  The  Assembly  now,  for  the  last 
time,  appointed  a  deputation,  consisting  of  Alexander 
Livingston,  Henry  Semple,  Andrew  Lander,  and  John 
Dick,  who,  in  rotation,  proceeded  to  Ulster,  and 
amidst  all  the  confusion  and  conflicts  of  party  labored 
with  diligence  and  fidelitj'.  The  Presbytery  was  also 
active  in  the  extension  of  the  Church,  corresponding 
with  the  Presbvteries  in  Scotland  and  with  Colonel 
Monck  and  Sir  Charles  Coote,  in  reference  to  this  mat- 
ter. 

The  Scottish  regiments  had  meanwhile  set  out  for 
Scotland  ;  but  a  part  were  intercepted  in  the  passage 
by  two  men-of-war  sent  by  the  English  Parliament  to 
guard  the  channel,  and  the  rest,  escaping  bj^  means  of 
small  boats,  landed  on  the  Scottish  shore,  and  were  im- 
mediately ordered  to  join  the  main  army  under  the 
Lake  of  Hamilton,  at  Carlisle.  In  the  battle  of  Pres- 
ton, Vv'hich  soon  followed,  the  Scottish  forces  were  de- 
feated, the  Duke  taken  prisoner,  and  the  second  civil 
war  thereby  ended. 

Monck,  the  confidential  commander  of  the  English 
Parliament,  participating  with  them  in  their  indigna- 
tion against  the  Scottish  regiments  who  had  joined 
with  their  enemies  in  the  invasion  of  Ens^land,  deter- 
mined  to  possess  himself  of  all  the  garrisons  occupied 
by  the  Scots  in  the  Korth.     Hitherto  he  had  been  de- 


1648.]  MONCK   SEIZES   CARRICKFERGUS.  179 

terred  by  the  power  of  Monro ;  but  the  levies  for 
England  and  bis  favoring  the  Engagement  had  greatly 
weakened  his  influence.  The  fear  also  lest  Sir  Robert 
Monro  should  unite  with  his  son-in-law,  Sir  George 
Monro,  who  was  about  returning  from  Scotland  with 
many  of  his  unprincipled  followers,  and  cease  his  pro- 
tection, made  them  an  easy  prey  to  the  stratagems  of 
Monck,  who,  seeing  his  advantage,  concerted  with 
some  officers  whose  Colonel  had  a  grudge  against  Mon- 
ro, and  surprised  the  castle  of  Carrickfergas  on  the 
morning  of  the  12th  of  September,  and  immediately 
sent  Monro  to  England,  where  he  was  confined  for  sev- 
eral  years  in  the  Tower. 

Those  officers  who  were  implicated  in  this  affair, 
being  elected  delegates  from  their  sessions  to  Presby- 
tery, were  refused  their  seats  when  presenting  them- 
selves, on  account  of  this  transaction.  At  the  very 
time  of  these  occurrences,  Monck  sat  in  Presbytery 
at  Lisburn,  pretending  to  be  their  friend  and  patron. 
He  thus  succeeded  in  wresting  from  Monro  his  prin- 
cipal garrison,  through  the  unconscious  agency  of  the 
Scots  themselves,  thus  depriving  the  Presbyterians 
of  their  chief  strength  and  dependence. 

The  fall  of  Carrickfergus  was  immediately  followed 
by  that  of  Belfast,  upon  which  Monck  published  a 
declaration  explaining  his  reasons  for  their  seizure. 
At  the  same  time  he  sent  orders  to  Lord  Clanbrassel 
and  the  Montgomery s,  directing  two  hundred  men 
from  each  of  their  regiments  to  join  him  in  his  attack 
upon  Coleraine  and  other  fortified  places ;  to  this  or- 
der the  Montgomerys  answered  in  a  joint  letter,  asking 
his  reasons  for  seizing  Carrickfergus  and  his  proposed 
attack  upon  Coleraine  ;  to  which  Monck  gave  a  respect- 


180  THE  ARMY  SEIZES  THE   KING.  [Oh.  XIII. 

ful  answer,  promising  to  treat  their  friends  who  should 
become  prisoners  with  all  kindness,  and  at  another  time 
would  give  a  satisfactory  reason  for  his  proceedings, 
and  without  further  delay  surprized  Coleraine,  by  this 
act  occupying  the  last  point  held  by  the  Scottish  army. 
Sir  Charles  Coote  pursued  the  same  course  in  Derry, 
but  was  opposed  by  Sir  Robert  Stewart,  who  had  since 
1638  held  the  castle  of  Culmore,  thus  guarding  all 
access  to  Derry  by  sea.  Coote,  by  stratagem,  obtained 
possession  of  this  castle,  and  soon  after  the  castles  of 
Lifford  and  Derg,  and  thus,  before  the  end  of  the  year, 
the  parliamentary  or  Independent  party  had  posses- 
sion of  all  the  strongholds  in  Ulster,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Charlemont,  which  was  still  in  the  possession 
of  the  rebels. 

While  the  parliamentary  commissioners  were  ab- 
sent in  Scotland  repelling  Hamilton's  invasion,  the 
Presbyterians  regained  their  ascendency  in  Parliament, 
restored  ihe  impeached  members,  and  adopted  some 
constitutional  measures  for  the  settlement  of  the  king- 
dom ;  but  after  the  return  of  the  victorious  army  its 
leaders  openly  avowed  their  revolutionary  purposes. 
The  council  of  officers  presented  a  Remonstrance  on 
the  20th  of  November  to  the  Parliament,  requiring 
that  the  King  should  be  brought  to  justice,  as  the 
"  capital  cause "  of  all  the  evils  which  had  befallen 
the  kingdom.  The  army  removed  the  King  to  Hurst 
castle,  December  1st,  and  the  next  day,  under  Fairfax, 
occupied  Whitehall;  but  the  Presbyterian  majority 
disavowed  the  seizure  of  the  King  and  resolved  to 
continue  the  negotiations  with  him.  The  next  day. 
Colonel  Pride,  with  a  detachment,  seized  fifty  Presby- 
terian members  as  they  entered,  and  the  day  following 


1649.]  PRESBYTERIANS   GAIN   ASCENDENCY.  181 

nearly  an  hundred  more  were  shut  out  and  secured 
or  forced  to  flj.  The  Eump  Parliament,  thus  con- 
stituted, on  the  1st  of  January,  1649,  ordered  the  King 
to  be  tried,  and  he  was  beheaded  at  Whitehall  on  the* 
30th  of  January,  in  the  forty-ninth  year  of  his  age. 


CHAPTER     Xiy. 

1649-1653. 

The  death  of  Charles  created  five  distinct  parties  in 
Ulster,  two  of  v/liicb  were  Popish  and  three  Protestant. 
The  ultra-Popish  party,  led  bj  the  Nuncio  and  Glamor- 
gan, aimed  at  the  complete  restoration  of  Popery,  and 
exclusion  of  all  other  churches,  under  the  protection 
of  some  Catholic  sovereign.  The  moderate  Papists 
were  in  favor  of  uniting  with  the  Protestant  royalists, 
under  Ormond,  in  restoring  Charles  the  Second,  with 
complete  toleration,  if  not  restoration,  of  the  old  re- 
ligion. The  parliamentary  or  Independent  party  was 
for  a  republic,  without  King  or  House  of  Lords ;  the 
prelatical  royalists  for  the  unconditional  restoration 
of  Charles  the  Second.  Between  these  stood  the  mod- 
erate royalists  or  Presbyterians,  who  condemned  the 
king's  death  as  an  unnecessary  cruelty,  but  abjured  the 
doctrine  of  passive  obedience,  and  insisted  on  the  Sol- 
emn League  and  Covenant  as  still  binding  on  all  three 
kingdoms. 

As  soon  as  the  news  of  the  King's  death  reached  Ire- 
land, the  Presbytery  met  at  Belfast  on  the  15th  of  Feb- 
ruary, and  issued  a  paper  known  as  the  Eepresenta- 
tion,  protesting  against  the  execution  of  Charles,  and 
condemning  in  strong  terms  the  doings  of  the  "  Sect* 
aries."  This  manifesto  called  forth  an  ansv/er  from 
John  Milton,  Avho  at  that  time  filled  the  ofiice  of  Latin 


1649.]  THE   REPilESENTATION. 


183 


Secretary  to  the  Council  of  State.     At  the  same  time 
it  was  resolved  to  hold  a  fast  and  renew  the  Solemn 
League  and  Covenant ;  and  Tetters  were  sent  to  Monck 
and  Coote,  containing  copies  of  the  Ropresentalioo,  in- 
viting them  to  join  in  the  Covenant.     Monck,  in  his 
answer,  desired  a  delay  of  the  publication  of  the  paper 
until  he  could  convene  a  council  of  war  and  confer  with 
them.   The  answer  of  Coote  was  more  explicit,  declining 
to  confer  with  the  Presbytery,  and  stating  the  danger- 
ous consequences  that  would  follow  the  course  pro- 
posed.    The  Presbytery  was  not  moved  from  its  pur- 
pose by  these  letters;  but  on  the  last  Sabbath  of  February 
the  Representation  was  read  in  all  their  churches,  and 
the  Solemn  League  and  Covenant  formally  renewed. 

During  the  months  of  March  and  April  various  papers 
passed  between  Monck  and  his  council  of  war  and  the 
Presbytery  and  council  of  the  army.     The  Presbytery, 
having  renewed  the  Covenant  in  their  owu  congrega- 
tions, sent  some  of  their  members  to  Monck  and  the 
council  of  war,  desiring  that  the  Covenant  might  also 
be  administered  to  the  army.     They  answered  that  it 
was  not  expedient  at  this  time,  it  having  already  been 
sioned  by  the  army.    Whereupon  the  Presbytery  sent 
a°commission  to  express  their  dissatisfaction  at  this 
answer,  and  reminding  Monck  of  his  promise  to  call  a 
council  of  war  from  the  of^cers  of  the  different  regi- 
ments to  take  measures  for  the  safety  of  the  church  and 
country,  at  the  same  time  intimating  that  they  had  ap- 
pointed a  committee  of  ministers  and  elders  to  attend 
this  council.    This  committee  accordingly  waited  upon 
Monck,  but  effected  nothing,  he  evading  a  direct  an- 
swer to  their  petitions. 

At  the  same  time  Monck  was  approached  by  the  of- 


184  DECLARATION   OF  THE   ARMY.  [Ch.  XIY. 

ficers  of  the  army,  making  the  same  requests,  that  the 
Covenant  might  be  administered  to  the  army.  Monck, 
in  reply,  proposed  to  them  a  Declaration  VArhich  he  had 
framed  ;  but  they,  rejecting  this  paper,  called  a  meet- 
ing of  officers,  at  which  a  new  Declaration  was  presented, 
drawn  up  by  Lord  Montgomery,  which,  after  being 
amended  and  approved  b}^  the  Presbytery,  was  signed 
by  the  officers.  This  paper  was  called  the  "  Declara- 
tion of  the  Army  and  the  Country,"  and  was  presented 
to  MoDck  at  a  council  of  war  held  in  Belfast  on  the 
9th  of  April,  1649,  who  opened  the  conference  by  propos- 
ing the  following  queries :  "1.  I  desire  to  know  what 
cause  you  have  to  distrust  me  for  my  faithfulness  to 
the  good  cause  you  stand  for  ?  2.  Whj-  do  you  grow 
upon  me  daily  by  new  propositions,  and  are  not  satis- 
fied with  those  which  the  Presbytery  at  first  pro- 
pounded, but  assume  an  unlimited  power  to  your- 
selves ?  3.  Why  do  you  declare  against  that  preva- 
lent party  in  England,  without  order  or  advice  from 
England,  and  thereby  do  in  all  appearance  prejudge 
the  good  party  oppressed  there,  by  declaring  your- 
selves sooner  than  they  think  it  seasonable ;  and  yet 
to  suffer  malignants  in  your  quarters,  contrary  to 
order?  4.  I  desire  to  know  (in  regard  of  our  de- 
pendence upon  England)  whom  it  is  we  shall  serve  for 
the  present  ?" 

To  these  questions,  proposed  with  a  view  of  distract- 
ing the  councils  of  his  opponents,  the  council  gave  a 
firm  and  convincing  answer ;  and  with  their  reply 
they  sent  ^ve  propositions  from  the  army  and  six  from 
the  country,  of  similar  import,  to  which  they  required 
an  immediate  answer.  Monck  asked  for  a  delay  of  a 
week,  which  was  afterwards  extended  to  a  month,  at 


[1649.  THE  VINDICATION.  ^°^ 

the  en.l  of  which  time,  perceiving  tbot  his  oificerB  and 
L  were  all  opposed  to  his  design,  he  wrthdrewto 
iundalk.  and  on  the  8th  of  May  joined  the  party  of 
O'Neill,  then  proposing  to  drive  Ormond  from  he 
nethtehood  of  Dublin ;  but  his  plan  was  frustrated 
by°the  royalists,  under  Lord  Inchiquin,  and  soon  after 
Monck  returned  to  England,  whence  he  never  returned 

to  Ireland.  •  i    tvi-       i 

While  the  army  was  thus  negotiating  with  Monck 
the  Presbytery,  at  a  meeting  held  in  Belfast  on  the  10th 
of  April,  issued  another  paper,  styled  The  Vindica- 
tion, in  which  they  "  profess  before  God  and  the  world 
their  constant  resolution  to  subject  themselves  to  the 
lawful  authority  of  the  righteous  King  and  free  Parlia- 
ment of  England,  and  to  the  lawful  commands  of  such 
as  shall  ha;e  power  from  them;"  while  at  the  same 
time  they  "  disclaim  the  present  usurped   power  ot 
Sectaries,"  whom,  say  they,  ".ve  are  resolved  never  to 
obey  as  the   lawful   authority   of  England."      These 
.vords  are  sufficiently  expressive  of  the  attitude   m 
which  the  Presbyterians  stood  towards  the  Common- 

"wealth.  •  .    T-x    1      x- 

The  army  council,  after  signing  their  Declaration 

prepared  themselves  for  action,  first  appointing  Lord 

Montgomery  of  Ards  to  be  their  commander  and  then 

occupying  Lisburn,  which  had  been  deserted  by  Monck. 

Montgomery,  though  seeming  to  enter  heartily  into 

their  plans,  was  secretly  designing  to  bring  the  county 

under  the  subjugation  of  Ormond.     All  the  strongholds 

in  Ulster  were  now  in  the  possession  of  t..e  i'resDy- 

terians,  except  Derry,  which  was  held  by  Sir  Charles 

Coote  on  behalf  of  the  republicans.     The  council  of 

war  therefore  sent  commissioners  to  Coote,  advising 


186  DERRY  BLOCKADED.  [Oh.  XIV. 

him  to  take  the  field  in  behalf  of  the  Covenant ;  but  he 
refusing  to  join  with  them,  Sir  Alexander  Stewart 
marched  with  his  regiment  to  Derry  and  besieged  the 
town.  On  the  28th  of  March  the  Lagan  forces  took 
possession  of  Manorcunningham  and  Carrigans,  thus 
partially  cutting  off  supplies  from  the  garrison.  Du- 
ring several  weeks  various  skirmishes  occurred,  in  one 
of  which  Captains  Finch  and  Lawson  were  taken  pris- 
oners, and  on  the  23d  of  April,  Coote,  with  a  large 
party,  sallied  out  and  attacked  the  Lagan  forces  at 
Carrigans,  killing  and  wounding  some,  and  securing 
many  prisoners,  besides  arms  and  ammunition. 

Notwithstanding  this  success,  he  was  still  closely 
blockaded,  the  Lagan  forces  bringing  their  entrench- 
ments within  cannon-shot.  On  the  26th  of  May  they 
were  joined  by  Colonels  Robert  Stewart  and  Mervyn, 
soon  followed  by  Sir  George  Monro,  lately  forced  to 
abandon  Scotland,  with  a  party  of  Highlanders  who 
had  followed  him.  The  arrival  of  these  reinforce- 
ments, instead  of  adding  strength,  created  unhappy 
divisions  in  the  army,  the  royalist  party  assuming  the 
whole  control  of  the  siege,  so  that  the  ministers  sent 
by  the  Presbytery  to  the  camp  were  forced  to  leave, 
after  advising  Sir  Alexander  Stewart  to  withdraw  with 
his  party.  On  the  7th  of  June  Sir  Greorge  Monro,  leav- 
ing the  army  before  Derry,  advanced  upon  Coleraine, 
which  he  surprised.  During  this  whole  time  Lord 
Montgomery  was  holding  a  secret  correspondence  with 
Sir  George  Monro  and  Lord  Conway,  promising  to 
suppress  the  ministers,  and  remove  such  officers  from 
the  army  as  were  not  favorable  to  the  royalist  party. 
This  coming  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Presbytery, 
Montgomery  w^as  qnestionei  a^  to  its   truth  ;  but  he 


1649.]  TKEACHERY   OF   MONTGOMERY.  187 

denied  it  all.  Kevertheless  the  Presbytery  became 
more  suspicious  of  him,  and  sent  a  committee  to  Bel- 
fast to  observe  his  motions ;  but  while  they  were  theie 
Monro  arrived,  (being  sent  for  secretly  by  Montgome- 
ry,) and  threatened  the  town,  whereupon  Montgomery, 
under  pretense  of  helping  the  garrison,  entered  and 
took  possession  on  the  27th  of  June,  dismissing  Colonel 
Wallace,  the  governor,  and  producing  his  own  commis- 
sion from  the  King.  Two  days  after  the  discovery  of 
this  treachery  of  Montgomery  the  Presbytery,  meet- 
in'^  at  Carrickfero;us,  addressed  a  severe  but  faithful 
letter  to  him,  which  he  immediately  answered;  but 
they,  deeming  this  manifestly  insincere,  sent  a  rejoin- 
der, in  which  they  urged  him  to  prove  his  sincerity 
by  ordering  Monro  to  surrender  the  city  of  Belfast, 
and  regretting  his  connection  with  Ormond,  the  bitter 
foe  of  the  Covenant.  Montgomery,  on  the  receipt  of 
this  letter,  instead  of  listening  to  its  suggestions,  or- 
dered Monro  to  seize  the  castle  of  Carrickfergus,  and 
on  the  next  day  he  joined  Monro  before  the  town, 
which,  being  unprepared  for  an  attack  from  such  an 
unexpected  quarter,  w\as  surrended  upon  favorable 
terras,  and  Dalzel,  formerly  an  officer  under  General 
Robert  Monro,  was  appointed  governor,  where  he  re- 
mained for  some  time,  spreading  terror  throughout  the 
country.  The  Presbyterian  ministers,  on  the  surren- 
der,  fled  to  the  county  of  Down. 

The  day  on  which  Montgomery  entered  Carrickfer- 
gus  he  published  a  declaration,  with  the  viev.'  of  vin- 
dicating himself  from  the  charge  of  treachery,  and  of 
persuading  the  Presbyterians  to  submit  to  his  author- 
ity, at  the  same  time  inducing  Lord  Inchiquin,  next 
in  comm.and  to  OrmonJ,  to  write  to  the  Presbytery, 


188        DECLARATION   OF   THE   PEESBYTERY.       [Ch.  XIY. 

declaring  that  the  King  was  determined  to  establish 
Presbyterianism  in  Ulster,  and  uroins  them  to  lointhe 
royal  standard. 

The  Presbyter}^,  not  deceived  by  these  promises,  at 
a  meeting  held  in  Bangor,  the  7th  of  July,  1649,  sent 
a  respectful  letter  to  Lord  Inchiquin,  explaining  their 
proceedings,  and  at  the  same  time  drew  up  a  paper  in 
answer  to  the  declaration  of  Montgomery,  entitled,  ''  A 
Declaration  by  the  Presbytery  at  Bangor,"  which  was 
ordered  to  be  read  from  all  their  pulpits.  Montgom- 
ery answered  this  Declaration  by  sending  an  officer  to 
the  Presbytery,  which  met  the  following  week,  accu- 
sing them  of  treason,  and  threatening  them  Avith  im- 
prisonment. He  also  summoned  the  ruling  elders 
to  appear  before  him,  and  Monro  wrote  a  threatening 
letter  to  some  of  the  ministers,  summoning  them  to 
appear  before  him  at  Coleraine.  In  view  therefore  of 
their  danger  they  withdrew  from  their  parishes,  some 
going  over  to  Scotland,  but  soon  returned  on  the  ad- 
vice of  ministers  in  that  kinfrdom. 

On  the  11th  of  July,  Monro,  who  had  been  appoint- 
ed governor  of  Coleraine,  again  joined  the  army  be- 
fore Dcrry,  carrying  with  him  men  and  cannon,  and 
the  siege,  which  had  not  been  interrupted,  was  pressed 
with  greater  vigor,  this  being  the  last  fortress  in  Ul- 
ster not  in  the  hands  of  the  royalists.  On  the  27th  of 
July,  Lord  Montgomery  with  a  reinforcement  joined 
the  besieging  army,  and  immediately  summoned  the 
town  to  surrender  in  virtue  of  his  commission  from 
Charles  IL  ISTo  notice  being  taken  of  this  by  Coote, 
an  assault  was  made  the  next  day  by  the  royalists, 
which  resulted  in  tlie  repulse  of  Montgomery  with 
great  loss.     Meanwhile  the  news  reached  the  Lagan 


1649.]  OLIVER  CROMWELL  ARRIVES.  189 

forces  of  the  perfidy  of  their  general  through  the 
mcaDS  of  the  Presbytery's  Declaration,  who  now,  for 
the  first  time  understanding  the  character  of  the  cause 
for  which  they  were  fighting,  abandoned  the  siege  in 
great  numbers.  Notwithstanding  this  loss,  Montgom- 
ery continued  the  blockade,  but  on  the  7th  of  August 
they  were  surprised  by  the  arrival  on  the  other  side 
of  the  river  of  Owen  Roe  0'  Niell,  with  a  reinforce- 
ment of  four  thousand  foot  and  three  hundred  horse, 
0'  Niell  having  privately  concluded  a  treaty  with  Coote. 
This  reinforcement  compelled  Montgomery  and  Stew- 
art to  raise  the  siege  and  return  to  Coleraine.  All  the 
castles  in  the  vicinity  of  Derry  and  the  Lagan  surren- 
dered to  Coote,  except  Raphoe,  which  v/as  held  and 
defended  by  Bishop  LesHe,  who  had  returned  to  Ulster 
on  the  death  of  the  King.  0'  Nicll  was  taken  sick 
while  in  Derrj^,  and  was  carried  on  a  litter  to  Cloug- 
houter  castle,  where  he  died  a  few  months  later. 

The  face  of  things  in  Ulster  was  completely  changed 
by  the  arrival  of  Oliver  Cromwell  in  Dublin,  as  Lord 
Lieutenant  and  commander-in-chief,  on  the  i5th  of 
August,  1649,  and  the  unexpected  energy  of  his  pro- 
ceedings. Before  the  end  of  the  month  he  had  in- 
vested Drogheda,  defended  by  a  chosen  garrison  under 
Sir  Arthur  Aston,  a  Popish  officer  of  great  skill  and 
experience,  and  at  the  end  of  a  week,  after  two  repulses 
he  led  the  reserve  in  person  and  took  the  place  by 
storm,  giving  no  quarter,  and  killing  many  of  the 
innocent  inhabitants,  which  struck  terror  into  other 
places  and  prevented  their  resistance.  Going  southward 
to  meet  Ormond,  he  sent  Colonel  Yenables  into  Ulster, 
who,  by  a  succession  of  rapid  movements,  took  Dun- 
dalk,  Carlingford,  Newry    and    Di'omore,  at   the  last 


190  Cromwell's  victories.  [Ch.  xiy. 

})]ace  recovering  some  standards  vvliicTi  had  been  pre- 
viously taken  by  the  royalists.  He  then  occupied 
Belfast  and  Lisburo,  placing  a  garrison  there  and  at 
Antrim,  the  latter  commanded  by  the  famous  Owen 
0'  Connelly,  now  a  Lieutenant  Colonel  in  the  Eepub- 
lican  or  parliamentary  service,  but  soon  after  killed  in 
an  attack  upon  Antrim  by  a  detachment  from  Sir 
Geor^'e  Monro's  force  under  command  of  Colonel  John 
Hamilton,  which  was  followed  by  the  burning  of  the 
town  itself,  a  loss  more  than  made  good,  however,  by 
the  capitulation  of  Dalzell  at  Carrickfergus,  when  in- 
vested by  the  united  forces  of  Yenables  and  Coote. 
As  the  place  was  not  to  be  surrendered  for  two  weeks, 
the  two  Lords,  Montgomery  (of  Ards)  and  Claneboy 
(now  Clanbrassil,)  undertook  to  relieve  it  in  reliance 
upon  reinforcements  from  Ormond;  and  when  this 
hope  was  extinguished  by  the  victories  of  Cromwell  in 
the  south,  and  the  time  fixed  for  the  capitulation  (Dec. 
3d,)  was  approaching,  they  resolved  to  risk  a  battle 
with  the  parliamentary  army,  which  took  place  near 
Lisburn,  and  resulted  in  the  total  rout  of  the  royalists, 
Monro  saving  his  life  by  swimming  the  river,  and 
escaping  first  to  Charlemont  and  then  to  Enniskillen, 
while  the  two  Lords  succeeded  in  joining  Ormond  in 
the  south. 

In  the  meantime  the  Presbytery  continued  to  de- 
nounce the  regicides  and  sectaries,  in  which  they  Avere 
indulged  by  Yenables  and  Coote  as  long  as  the  result 
of  the  campaign  was  doubtful  ;  but  after  the  battle  at 
Lisburn  they  began  to  threaten  and  discountenance  the 
Presbyterian  ministers,  and  to  promote  the  Indepen- 
dent interest,  which  was  represented  for  six  months  in 
Ireland  by  the  great  John  Owen,  who,  as  Cromwell's 


1649.]         NEW   ENGLAND   PREACHERS  INVITED.  191 

chaplain,  preached  constantly  in  Dublin.     He  was  yp- 
pointed  to  thi^  office   on  the  2d  of  July,  1649,  at  the 
usual  salary,  with  an  additional  sum  of  one  hundred 
pounds  a  year,  to  be   paid  quarterly  to  his  wife  and 
family,  who  had  remained  in  England.    On  the  return 
of  Owen  to  England  he  urged  upon  the  Commons,  in  a 
sermon,   the  necessity  and  duty  of  providing  for  the 
spiritual  wants  of  Ireland,  which  Cromwell  himself  at- 
tempted by  inviting  preachers  from  New  England,  who 
consented  on  condition  that  their  Church  should  be  es- 
tablished as  it  was  at  home  ;  that  their  people  should 
be  aided  in  removing  with  them,  and  should  choose  a 
governor  among  themselves  ;  that  no  Irish  should  re- 
side within  their  settlement ;  and  that  they  should  have 
"  a  due  proportion  of  outward  encouragement  in  houses 
and  lands."   These  modest  propositions  do  not  seem  to 
have  been  granted  ;   and  although  the  Independents 
were  sustained  and  favored  by    the  rulers  of  Ireland 
for  ten  years,  they  made  little  progress  ;  so  that  when 
the  Eepublican  ascendancy  was  over   they  had  only 
one  or  two  churches  in  Dublin,  and  as  many  more 
in  Munster.     The  Parliament  had  previously  endowed 
Trinity  College   with   the   revenues  belonging  to  the 
sees  of  Dublin  and  Meath   and  the  cathedral  of  St. 
Patrick,  and  on  the  same  day  had  abolished  the  lit- 
urgy and  ordered  the  Directory  for  public  Worship  to 
be  introduced  in  Ireland  as  well  as  England. 

After  the  death  of  Owen  Poe  O'Neill  the  command 
of  the  royalist  army,  which  was  sought  by  his  kins- 
man Sir  Phelim,  and  the  Earl  of  Antrim,  was  con- 
ferred, through  the  predominance  of  priestly  influence, 
on  Ever  McMahon,  titular  (or  Popish)  Bishop  of 
Clogher,  and  as  soon  as  the  season  permitted  prepnr- 


192  THE  ROYALISTS   DEFEATED.  [Ch.  XIY. 

ations  were  made  to  seize  tlie  strongholds  of  Ulster, 
\ybicli  were  in  possession  of  the  republicans. 

At  the  same  time  the  Eepublicans  were  not  inactive ; 
Sir  George  Monro,  despairing  of  relief,  had  given  up 
Enniskillen  to  Coote,  who,  collecting  a  body  of  troops 
from  the  Lagan,  invited  Yenables  to  join  him,  for  the 
purpose  of  seizing  Charlemont  ;  but  this  junction  was 
for  a  time  prevented  by  the  prompt  action  of  McMa- 
hon,  who,  surprising  the  Castle  of  Toome,  and  throw- 
ing a  body  of  troops  forward  into  Antrim,  compelled 
Yenables  to  return  for  the  protection  of  his  own  quar- 
ters. Failing  to  form  a  junction  with  Yenables,  Coote 
occupied  Dungannon,  but  his  supplies  being  cut  off,  he 
advanced  with  the  main  body  of  his  army  to  Omagh, 
where  being  reinforced,  he  dispatched  a  body  to  coop- 
erate with  the  garrison  of  Enniskillen,  aiming  still  in 
all  his  movements  to  form  a  junction  with  Yenables, 
which  was  finally  accomplished  at  the  pass  of  Breagh- 
dough,  through  an  iil-adviseJ  movement  of  McMahon, 
against  which  he  and  others  had  been  warned,  accord- 
ing to  a  popular  legend,  by  an  apparition.  Coote  hav- 
ing been  reinforced  by  Colonel  Fen  wick's  command 
from  Coleraine,  determined  to  risk  an  engagement,  and 
on  the  21st  of  June  the  armies  met  near  Letterkenny, 
on  the  river  Swilly.  This  battle,  which  was  the  last  in 
Ulster  until  the  revolution,  was  severely  contested,  and 
resulted  in  the  entire  defeat  of  the  royalists,  McMahon 
being  taken  prisoner,  and  soon  after  beheaded  by 
Coote,  and  his  head  exposed  on  one  of  the  gates  of 
Derry.  This  victory  was  soon  followed  by  the  capit- 
ulation of  Charlemont,  the  last  stronghold  of  the  Irish 
royalists. 

The  war  being  now  at  an   end  and  the  Republican 


1650,  51.]  THE   ENGAGEMENT   PRESSED.  193 

ascendency  established  througliout  Ulster,  the  author- 
ities began  to  press  the  (English)  Engagement  of  sub- 
mission to  the  Parliament,  without  a  King  or  House 
of  Lords.  The  Presbyterian  ministers  refusing  to  ac- 
cept this,  many  of  them  were  imprisoned,  among  whom 
are  found  the  names  of  Drysdale,  Baty  of  Bally  waiter, 
Fergus  Alexander  of  the  county  of  Down,  and  Henry 
Main,  Archibald  Ferguson,  David  Buttle  and  An- 
thony Kennedy  of  Antrim ;  and  this  led  to  an  argu- 
mentative correspondence  with  V enables  and  Coote, 
which  the  latter  terminated  by  a  published  declaration 
that  they  must  submit  or  leave  the  country.  Their  sit- 
uation was  made  still  more  trying  by  the  appointment 
of  new  Parliamentary  commissioners,  Cromwell  retain- 
•  ing  the  Lord  Licutenantcy,  but  being  really  employed 
in  Scotland,  and  devolving  the  actual  command  in  Ire- 
land on  his  son-in-law,  Henry  Ireton.  To  these  com- 
missioners an  Independent  minister,  Samuel  Winter, 
was  appointed  chaplain,  but  was  soon  after  transferred 
to  Trinity  College,  as  Provost,  which  he  held  until  the 
Restoration. 

The  Presbyterians  in  Ulster  were  now  regarded 
with  extreme  jealousy  by  the  friends  of  Charles  IL, 
their  ministers  subject  to  all  kinds  of  indignity,  being 
excluded  from  their  pulpits  and  their  support  with- 
drawn, until  at  a  council  of  war,  held  at  Carrickfer- 
gus,  in  March,  1651,  they  were  formally  banished 
from  the  kingdom,  on  account  of  which  many  of  them 
fled  to  Scotland.  A  few  of  them,  unwilhng  to  leave 
their  parishes  in  this  hour  of  distress,  remained  and 
preached  in  the  fields  and  barns,  urging  the  people  to 
constancy  in  their  doctrines,  and  impressing  them  with 
the  duties  which  they  owed  to  their  lawful  sovereign, 

9 


194  TRIALS  OF  THE  PRESBYTERIANS.  [Ch.  XIV. 

in  opposition  to  the  present  usurpation.  In  tlie  close 
of  the  summer  of  1651,  renewed  efforts  were  made  to 
eject  them,  so  that  at  last  there  were  but  six  remain- 
ing, Thomas  Peebles,  James  Gordon,  and  Gilbert  Earn- 
say,  in  Down,  and  Anthony  Kennedy,  Patrick  Adair, 
and  Robert  Cunningham  in  Antrim. 

In  the  midst  of  these  trials  they  were  invited  to  a 
conference  with  Timothy  Taylor  and  a  Mr.  Weeks,  or 
Wyke,  leading  Independent  ministers  at  Antrim, 
which  conference  w^as  held  in  March,  1652,  and 
proved  to  be  a  public  debate  in  the  castle,  in  which 
the  Presbyterian  cause  was  reluctantly  but  ably  defend- 
ed by  Adair,  and  in  a  tone  of  moderation,  which  was 
acknowledged  and  commended  by  their  opponents. 
At  the  conclusion  of  this  debate  the  ministers  returned 
home  under  a  safe  conduct,  and  preached  more  boldly 
and  openly  than  they  had  heretofore  done.  The  news 
of  this  reaching  Scotland,  Archibald  Ferguson  and 
Andrew  Stewart,  of  Donaghadee,  ventured  to  rejoin 
their  brethren  in  Ireland. 

Ireton  had  in  the  meantime  died,  and  Lieutenant 
General  Fleetwood,  who  had  married  his  widow,  was 
on  the  9th  of  July  appointed  commander-in-chief  of 
the  forces,  and  one  of  the  commissioners  for  the  civil 
affairs  of  the  kino-dom.  And  amongr  the  first  acts  of 
his  administration  was  the  erection  of  a  court  of  justice 
for  the  trial  of  all  those  who  had  been  concerned  in  the 
murder  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebellion.  This 
court  circulated  through  the  principal  towns  of  the 
kingdom,  during  the  early  part  of  the  year  1653,  and 
it  is  alleged  that  about  two  hundred  criminals  suffered 
in  the  various  provinces  under  its  sentence,  among 
whom  was  Sir  Phelim  O'Neill, 


1651,  1652.]  THE  BAPTISTS.  195 

But  the  Independents  themselves  were  now  threat- 
ened with  schism  by  the  Baptists  who  arose  within 
their  bosom,  but  began  to  take  an  independent  stand 
in  Ireland  as  well  as  in  England,  under  the  lead  of 
Thomas  Patient,  who  had  come  over  as  a  chaplain  in 
Cromwell's  army,  but  afterwards  supplanting  John 
Kogers,  the  learned  but  eccentric  Independent  minis- 
ter of  Dublin.  Small  Baptist  churches  were  during 
this  year  also  established  at  Kilkenny,  Clonmel,  Wa- 
terford  and  Cork.      On  the  arrival  of  Fleetwood,  in 

1652,  he  brought  with  him  Christopher  Blackwood,  a 
Baptist  minister,  who  was  for  a  short  time  settled  at 
Kilkenny,  but  finally  acted  as  an  evangelist,  under 
Patient  and  Claudius  Gilbert,  who  was  pastor  of  the 
church  at  Limerick.  Through  the  influence  and 
preaching  of  these  men  the  deputy  and  commissioners 
resolved  to  silence  all  ministers  who  still  opposed  the 
commonwealth.  Accordingly  a  correspondence  was 
opened  with  the  Presbytery,  and  a  day  appointed  for 
them  to  meet  at  Belfast.  At  this  meeting  they  issued 
a  paper  which  they  had  drawn  up  the  day  before,  in 
which  they  declared  their  unwillingness  to  acknowl- 
edge the  government  as  lawful,  but  at  the  same  time 
denying  that  they  have  any  intention  to  excite  the 
people  to  rebellion,  their  great  work  being  to  preach 
the  gospel. 

This  paper  was  debated  for  many  hours,  when  the 
meeting  was  adjourned  for  six  weeks.  In  the  inter- 
val they  sent  Andrew  Stewart  to  Scotland,  to  inform 
the  ministers  there  of  their  troubles,  and  the  stand 
they  had  taken.  At  the  end  of  six  weeks,  they  again 
met  the  commissioners,  who  proposed  to  them  to  send 
two  of  their  number  to  Dublin  to  confer  with  Fleet- 


196  CONFERENCE   WITH   FLEETWOOD.         [Ch.  XIV. 

wood  and  tTie  council,  and  if  they  could  satisfy  them 
the  matter  would  end.  Accordinglj^,  Ferguson  and 
Adair  proceeded  to  Dublin  in  January,  1653,  and  after 
a  conference  witli  Fleetwood  and  other  officers  they 
were  dismissed. 

Not  long  after  commissioners  were  dispatched  from 
Dublin  to  Carrickfergus  to  offer  the  Engagement  to  the 
whole  country,  and  in  the  prosecution  of  this  work 
they  sent  parties  of  soldiers  to  search  the  houses  of 
the  few  ministers  who  remained,  expecting  to  find 
some  secret  correspondence  with  the  royalist  party  in 
Scotland.  They  found  papers  only  in  possession  of 
Mr.  Adair,  and  these  were  rescued  by  a  maid  in  the 
house,  who,  hearing  that  they  were  Adair's  papers, 
took  them  from  the  sergeant's  cloak-bag  while  he 
was  asleep ;  not  one  of  the  seventeen  soldiers  engaged 
in  this  search  could  read.  The  ministers  were  soon 
after  summoned  to  appear  at  Carrickfergus,  and  threat- 
ened with  removal  from  the  country,  but  were  imme- 
diately dismissed  with  unexpected  lenity,  and  especi- 
ally without  any  pledge  being  exacted,  in  consequence 
of  intelligence  received  of  changes  which  had  taken 
place  in  England. 


CHAPTER      XV. 

1653-1660. 

Cromwell,  after  tlie  battle  of  Worcester  in  1651, 
being  possessed  of  more  than  royal  power,  and  recog- 
nized as  a  sovereign  by  foreign  States,  wished  to  get 
rid  of  the  speculative  politicians  composing  the  Rump 
Parliament,  and  after  vainly  trying  to  make  it  dissolve 
itself,  at  length  on  the  26th  of  April,   1653,  at  the 
close  of  a  debate  in  which  he  had  taken  part,  called 
in  his  soldiers  and  expelled  the  members,  ordering  the 
mace  to  be  removed,  and  locking  the  doors.     In  the 
afternoon  of  the  same  day  he  dissolved  the  Council  of 
State,  thus  uniting  in  himself  the  legislative  arfd  exec- 
utive authority.     The  news  of  this  revolution  reached 
Carrickfergus  on  the  day  on  which  the  members  of 
the    Presbytery    were  examined  before  the   commis- 
sioners, and  it  so  disconcerted  their  plans  that  they 
were  immediately   dismissed  to  their  parishes,  as  has 
already  been  stated. 

Among  the  first  measures  of  Cromwell  was  a  plan 
for  transpkanting  the  disaffected  Scots  from  Ulster  into 
Leinster  and  Munster.  Those  who  consented  to  the 
removal  were  to  have  a  valuable  consideration  in  land, 
the  remission  of  their  taxes  for  a  year,  and  other  ad- 
vantages ;  on  the  other  hand,  those  who  showed  any 
unwillingness  were  to  be  compelled  to  go,  with  but 
few  favors  from  the  government.     But  the  execution 


198  HENRY   CROMWELL.  [Ch.  XV. 

of  this  plan  was  interrupted  by  the  movements  which 
resulted  in  the  proclamation  of  Cromwell  as  Protec- 
tor. He  had  summoned  certain  persons  to  meet  at 
Whitehall  in  the  beginning  of  July,  who  were  formed 
into  a  Parliament;  but  the  majority  of  them  being 
Anabaptists,  it  was  found  impossible  to  use  them  in 
the  way  he  intended,  but  by  management  they  were 
induced  to  resign  their  power  into  his  hands,  and  thus 
it  was  peaceably  dissolved. 

The   elevation  of  Cromwell  created  great  dissatis- 
faction among  the  Baptists  composing  the  Irish  Coun- 
cil, he  accordingly  sent  over  his  son  Henry,  a  young 
man  of  the  highest  promise,  in  the  beginning  of  March, 
1654,  on  a  mission  of  inquiry.     He  was  received  in 
Dublin  with  every  mark  of  respect  by  the  authorities. 
He  found  the  council  unpopular,  and  inactive  in  every 
way  but  in  the  distribution  of  the  public  lands  among 
themselves.     The  army,  with  the  exception  of  a  few 
royalists,  expressed  themselves  favorable  to  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  Protector,  and  the  great  mass  of  the 
country  people  were  overjoyed  at  the  prospect  of  de- 
liverance from  the  government  of  the  council,  which 
had  become  very  burdensome.     During  his  stay,  young 
Cromwell  visited  the  college,    "  where  he  was  enter- 
tained with  copies  of  verses,   speeches  and  disputa- 
tions."     After  a  fortnight's  absence  he  returned  to 
.England. 

The  effect  of  this  visit  was  to  conciliate  all  parties 
and  restore  tranquility  in  the  south,  so  that  several 
congratulatory  addresses  from  the  army  and  from  In- 
dependent churches  were  forwarded  to  Cromwell.  One 
from*  Patient's  church  in  Dublin  was  signed  by  one 
hundred  and  twenty  names,  and  directed  to  "  His  High- 


1654.]  RESOLUTIONERS   AND   PROTESTERS.  199 

ness  the  Lord  Protector  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Eng- 
lancl,  Scotland,  and  Ireland."  The  same  beneficial 
effects  extended  also  to  Ulster.  The  Presbyterian  min- 
isters returned  to  their  parishes,  and  had  no  restric- 
tions in  their  public  services,  and  the  Presbytery  was 
again  allowed  to  hold  its  stated  and  public  meetings  in 
the  various  towns  of  the  province. 

The  Church  of  Scotland  was  at  this  time  in  great 
agitation,  caused  by  two  parties  which  had  sprung  up 
called  the  Resolutioners  and  Protesters,  the  first  com- 
posed of  those  who  had  sanctioned  the  admission  of  roy- 
alists and  other  enemies  of  religious  liberty  into  places 
of  civil  and  military  trust  for  the  purpose  of  sustaining 
the  cause  of  Charles  II. ;  the  second  composed  of  the 
more  zealous  ministers  and  elders,  who  protested  against 
the  acts  of  the  superior  courts,  which  sanctioned  this 
course.     These  parties  carried  their  bitterness  so  far 
as  to  refuse  to  commune  with  one  another.     This  con- 
troversy was  at  its  height  when  the  Irish  ministers, 
flying    from    persecution,    arrived.      They   naturally 
adopted   the   views   of  the  Presbyteries   with   which 
they  were  connected,  and  thus  they  became  divided 
among  themselves.     Some  of  them  being  among  the 
Protesters,  the  commission  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  m 
their  public  papers,  were  led  to  reflect  on  the  whole  of 
the  Irish  ministers  as  interfering  with  things  which  did 
not  belong  to  them.     In  this  difficulty  the  Irish  min- 
isters met  together  at  Ayr  to  consult  as  to  the  course 
they  should  pursue,  when  it  was  determined  that  what- 
ever difficulty  there  might  be  among  the  Scotch  Presby- 
terians they  would  keep  themselves  free  from  the  strife, 
lest  on  returning  to  Ireland  they  should  sow  discord 
among  the  brethren  there. 


200  THE  ACT   OF   BAXGOR.  [Ch.  XY. 

The  measures  of  Cromwell,  which  opened  the  door 
for  the  return  of  the  exiled  ministers  to  Ireland,  led  to 
the  introduction  there  of  several  young  men  of  the 
Protester's  party  without  the  approbation  of  the  Pres- 
bytery, who,  fearing  that  they  might  introduce  the 
same  disorder  into  Ulster,  held  a  meeting,  at  which 
they  warned  Cunningham  and  Semple,  who  had  invited 
tbese  expectants  over,  of  the  evils  which  might  result 
from  such  a  course. 

Another  meeting  of  the  Presbytery  was  held  soon 
after  at  Bangor,  at  which  was  passed  an  overture, 
called  the  Act  of  Bangor,  which  declared  that  although 
some  differed  in  opinion  from  the  rest,  yet  there  should 
be  no  mutual  contestings  about  the  differences  in  Scot- 
land among  themselves,  nor  any  notice  of  them  in  their 
preaching,  prayers,  or  conference  among  the  people. 
But  whatever  mention  might  indirectly  be  made  of 
these  divisions,  it  should  be  in  order  to  heal  them  in 
Scotland;  and  praying  that  these  same  divisions,  for 
for  which  there  was  no  ground,  might  not  arise  among 
them. 

Another  act  of  the  Presbytery  was  in  reference  to 
planting  the  church  with  men  from  Scotland.  They 
resolved  to  endeavor  to  find  men  of  ability,  learning, 
prudence,  and  piety,  and  those  who  should  seek  the 
peace  of  the  church  ;  and  that  all  applications  to  Scot- 
land for  men  should  pass  through  the  hands  of  the 
Presbytery.  They  also  resolved  that  no  man  should 
be  received  uuless  he  had  recommendations  from  min- 
isters of  both  sides  in  Scotland,  and  that  none  should 
be  admitted  until  they  had  engaged  and  subscribed 
the  Act  of  Bangor.  They  also  determined  upon  a 
.^•trict  examination  of  all  who  made  opplication  for  ad- 


1654.]  DIVISION  OF  THE   PHESBYTERY  201 

mission  as  to  ^'  what  tliej  bad  read,  and  what  stock 
of  learning  they  had,  not  only  in  those  points  taught  in 
the  philosophy  colleges  in  Scotland,  but  also  how  they 
had  improved  their  time  after  that,  whether  in  colleges 
of  divinity,  or,  if  they  had  not  that  opportunity,  how 
they  improved  their  time  otherwise  as  to  grounding 
themselves  in  positive  divinity,  and  studying  common 
places  in  controversial  divinity  and  church  history." 
This  course  was  deemed  necessary,  as  many  congre- 
gations were  now  making  application  for  ministers,  and 
many  young  men  were  coming  over,  of  their  own  ac- 
cordj  seeking  for  settlements.  These  proceedings  of 
the  Presbytery  were  most  salutary  in  their  effects,  and 
called  forth  the  approbation  of  wise  ministers  on  both 
sides  in  the  Church  of  Scotland. 

The  increasing  number  of  the  ministers  in  Ulster  led 
to  a  division  of  the  Presbytery,  in  1654,  into  three  com- 
missions or  committees,  with  the  power  of  transact- 
ing ordinary  local  business,  the  highest  jurisdiction  be- 
ing still  reserved  to  the  whole  body.  By  a  subsequent 
re-arrangement  there  were  five  such  "  meetings"  organ- 
ized, for  Down,  Derry,  Antrim,  Route,  and  Lagan ;  and 
still  later  a  delegated  body  called  a  '^  general  meeting" 
or  ^'  committee,"  nearly  corresponding  to  a  synod  in 
the  Church  of  Scotland. 

The  support  of  the  ministers  being  still  inadequate, 
there  being  no  tithes  collected  for  five  years  after  1649, 
Sir  John  Clotworth^^  procured  for  them  a  stated  allow- 
ance from  the  Irish  Council,  in  common  with  the  In- 
dependent, Baptist,  and  Episcopalian  ministers.  At 
first  they  objected  to  receive  this  allowance,  as  being  a 
dependence  upon  a  usurping  power,  but  upon  consid- 
eration they  concluded  that  as  their  people  were  greatly 

9* 


202      INDEPENDENT  MINISTERS   IN   DUBLIN.         [Oh.  XY. 

"burdened  witli  the  government  tithes,  and  as  they 
would  only  be  receiving  what  was  rightly  theirs,  and 
especially  as  no  conditions  had  been  laid  upon  them, 
they  would  accept  the  offer. 

In  the  beginning  of  July,  1655,  Henry  Cromwell 
was  again  sent  to  Dublin,  as  "  major-general  of  the 
army  in  Ireland,"  accompanied  by  his  chaplain,  Fran- 
cis Roberts,  an  Independent  minister,  and  to  counter- 
act the  influence  of  the  Baptist  ministers  he  brought 
over  several  Independent  ministers,  whom  he  settled 
as  fellows  in  Trinity  College  and  pastors  of  the  city 
churches.     Among  these  were  Dr.  Thomas  Harrison, 
the  celebrated  Stephen  Charnock,  who  became  a  fellow 
of  the  college  and  preacher  in   St.  Werburg's  church, 
and  Mr.  Samuel  Mather,  who  the  next  year  became 
colleague   to    Dr.   Winter,    in    St.    Nicholas'    church. 
Henry,  on  his  arrival,  received  letters  of  congratula- 
tion from  the  leading  Independent  ministers   of  the 
country,  and  in  proportion  as  he  was  flattered  by  them 
he  became  suspicious  of  the  Presbyterians  and  Bap- 
tists,  lest  they  should  oppose  his  government.     He 
therefore  wrote  to  his*  father,  asking  how  he   should 
deal  with  these  discontented  parties.     Oliver  writes  in 
reply,  "  Time  and  patience  may  work  them  to  a  better 
frame  of  spirit,  and  bring  them  to  see  that  which  for 
the  present  seems  to  be  hid  from  them  ;  especially  if 
they  see  your  moderation  and  love  toward  them,  which 
I  earnestly  desire  you  to  study  and  endeavor  all  that 
lies  in  3^ou." 

It  was  at  this  period  that  the  Quakers  first  made 
their  appearance  in  Ulster.  William  Edmundson,  a 
merchant  from  the  north  of  England,  settled  in  An- 
trim about  the  year  1653,  and  on  one  of  his  visits  to 


1656.]  QUAKERS.  203 

England  he  "became  acquainted  with  the  celebrated 
Quakers,  George  Fox  and  James  Naylor,  and  through 
their  influence  embraced  their  opinions.  In  1654  he 
removed  from  Antrim  to  Lagan,  where  the  first  Qua- 
ker meeting  ever  held  in  Ulster  was  established,  com- 
posed of  seven  converts.  Here  he  was  joined  by  John 
Tiffin  and  Richard  Clayton,  itinerary  preachers  from 
England,  with  whom  he  traversed  the  whole  countrj', 
preaching  against  the  abuses  of  the  clergy.  Edmund- 
son  did  not  confine  himself  to  Ireland,  but  traveled 
through  England,  Scotland,  and  even  through  North 
America  and  the  West  Indies.  The  well-meaning  but 
violent  conduct  of  these  men  at  last  drew  down  upon 
their  society  the  notice  of  the  authorities,  and  not- 
withstanding the  boasted  toleration  of  the  Independ- 
ents, they  were  treated  with  great  severity,  some 
of  them  being  cast  into  prison,  and  many  fines  im- 
posed. With  this  exception  the  country  under  Henry 
Cromwell  was  in  a  state  of  great  tranquillity.  By  his 
conciliatory  course  he  gained  the  confidence  of  the 
most  bigoted  Anabaptists,  and  not  long  after  his  ar- 
rival all  parties  cordially  concurred  in  sending  contri- 
butions, amounting  to  nearly  eleven  hundred  pounds, 
to  the  Protestants  of  Savoy,  then  suffering  persecution 
from  their  sovereign. 

While  the  country  was  thus  enjoying  prosperity  and 
peace,  John  Livingston  for  the  last  time  visited  Ire- 
land. He  arrived  in  the  summer  of  1656,  and  visited 
his  old  parish  of  Killinchy,  where  he  found  but  ten  or 
twelve  pei*sons  who  were  in  the  congregation  when  he 
left  them.  While  in  Ireland  he  received  a  call  from 
Dublin,  which  he  declined  on  the  grounds  that  he  was 
not  released  from  his  charge  in  Scotland,  and  his  pief- 


204        PEESBYTERIANS  SUSPECTED.      [Ce.  XV 

erence  for  his  old  cbarge  in  Killincliy  if  he  ever  set- 
tled in  Ireland.  During  this  visit  he  had  an  interview 
with  Edmundson,  who  was  in  prison  in  Armagh,  an 
account  of  which  Edmundson  narrates  at  length  in  his 
journal.  It  may  be  stated  here  that  Edmundson,  be- 
ing soon  after  liberated,  settled  upon  a  farm  in  Cavan, 
for  no  other  purpose  than  to  obtain  an  opportunity  of 
refusing  to  pay  tithe,  and  enjoj^  the  satisfaction  of  suf- 
fering for  the  testimony. 

The  Presbyterians  in  Ulster  at  this  time,  although 
protected  by  Henry  Cromwell,  were  yet  looked  upon 
with  some  suspicion,  lest  they  should  espouse  the  cause 
of  the  exiled  King.  Accordingly  orders  were  issued 
to  Monck  at  Edinburg  to  permit  no  Scots  to  remove 
to  Ulster  without  special  permission,  and  Colonel 
Cooper,  commander-in-chief  of  the  northeastern  parts 
of  the  province,  was  directed  to  watch  carefully  the 
movements  of  the  Presbyterians.  It  was  not  long  be- 
fore they  were  brought  into  conflict  with  the  authori- 
ties. Several  fast-days  and  thanksgivings  had  been 
appointed  by  Parliament,  which  the  Presbytery  uni- 
formly refused  to  observe.  "Whereupon  Hemy  Crom- 
well himself  wrote  threatening  letters  to  the  Presbytery, 
and  several  of  the  members  were  cited  to  appear  before 
the  Council  at  Dublin.  The  Presbytery  sent  two  of 
their  number,  Hart  and  Greg,  to  Dublin,  who  stated  to 
the  Governor  that  conscientious  scruples  prevented 
them  from  observing  the  appointed  days,  believing 
that  such  appointments  belonged  to  the  church,  and  not 
to  the  State.  The  jealousy  against  the  Presbyterians 
is  seen  also  in  the  case  of  John  Greg,  who  had  received 
a  call  to  Carrickfergus.  Colonel  Cooper,  the  com- 
mander, in  writing  to  Henry  Cromwell,  on   tins  affiir 


1657.]  A  CHANGE   IN  THEIR  FAVOR.  205 

says  "  I  do  liumbly  conceive  that  it  is  mucli  for  the 
peace  of  Ireland,  in  all  towns  of  strength  at  least,  no 
Scotch  minister  be  admitted,  except  he  be  a  known 
friend  to  the  present  government ;  and  I  hope  your 
lordship  and  the  Council  will  not  admit  them  mto 
Derry,  Coleraine,  Carrickfergus  and  Belfast.  And  if 
it  could  well  be  done  it  were  advisable  that  no  Scotch- 
man might  live  in  those  towns,  at  least  for  some  years  ; 
for  you"^  lordship  knows  there  is  more  danger  to  be 
expected  from  that  interest  than  from  the  Irish  m 

Ulster." 

Soon  after  this  the  governor  wrote  agam  to  Henry 
Cromwell  in   reference   to   the   Scotch    ministers,  m 
which  he  seems  to  have  formed  a  more  correct  esti- 
mate of  their  character,  as  appears  from  one  sentence 
in  his  letter:  ''  The  Scotch  ministers  do  promise  very 
fair,  and  according  to  my  observation  and  experience 
may  with  more  ease  be  led  than  driven  ;  and  the  ten- 
derness your  lordship  shows  them  is  the  likeliest  way 
to  gain  them."  •  Whatever  may  have  led  Henry  to  the 
conclusion,    from   this   time   the   Presbyterian  clergy 
were  treated  by  him  with  greater  confidence  and  fa- 
vor    Perhaps  one  cause  was  an  accession  of  power, 
he  being  appointed  Lord  Deputy  of  Ireland  on  the  24th 
of  Noveinber,  thus  being  relieved  from  the  control  of 
the  Council  he  could  with  more  freedom  promote  the 
religious  interests  of  the  country. 

One  of  his  first  measures  was  to  convoke  a  meeting 
of  ministers  (Baptist,  Presbyterian  and  Independent,) 
to  consult  about  their  maintenance  on  some  uniform 
plan.  Hitherto  Fleetwood's  scheme  of  collecting  the 
tithes  into  the  treasury,  and  paying  salaries  to  the 
ministers,  though  generally  enforced  in  Ulster,  had 


206  RICHARD   CROMWELL.  [Ch.  XY. 

been  only  partially  adopted  in  the  other  provinces. 
In  some  placas  the  clergy  collected  the  tithes,  as  for- 
merly, independently  of  the  state ;  in  other  places 
they  were  supported  partly  by  tithes  and  partly  by 
salaries  from  the  treasury ;  and  in  many  parts  of  the 
kingdom  no  adequate  maintenance  could  be  procured 
for  a  resident  ministrj^ ;  while  the  embarrassments  of 
the  revenue  were  such  as  not  only  to  prevent  the  grant 
of  additional  salaries,  but  to  delay  the  payment  of 
those  already  granted.  About  thirty  ministers,  there- 
fore, met  in  Dublin  on  the  23d  of  April,  and  agreed  to 
a  scheme  of  the  nature  of  a  sustentation  fund,  the 
minimum  to  be  received  by  each  minister  being  one 
hundred  pounds.  At  this  same  meeting  Henry  ad- 
vised with  them  about  the  instruction  and  conversion 
of  the  papists,  the  observance  of  the  Lord's  day,  and 
the  suppression  of  profaneness. 

These  measures  for  the  improvement  of  Ireland  were 
interrupted  by  the  sudden  death  of  Oliver  Cromwell, 
on  the  3d  of  September,  1658,  and  the  proclamation  of 
his  eldest  son  Richard  as  his  successor.  Henry  Cromwell 
immediately  applied  to  be  relieved  from  his  command 
in  Ireland,  but  Richard,  knowing  his  influence  over 
the  army  and  his  growing  popularity,  could  not  dis- 
pense with  his  services,  but  raised  him  to  the  ofi&ce  of 
Lord  Lieutenant,  into  which  office  he  was  sworn  on 
the  2d  of  November.  JSTo  change  took  place,  however, 
in  the  administration  of  Irish  affairs.  The  kingdom 
continued  to  enjoy  unusual  tranquility,  and  in  no  part 
of  the  empire  did  there  exist  a  more  cordial  or  gen- 
eral submission  to  the  new  Protector. 

The  Presbytery,  during  this  period  of  peace,  were 
occupied  in  visiting  remote  congregations,  and  filling 


1669.]  RUMP  PARLIAMENT.  207 

the  vacant  places  in  Ulster  witli  pastors.  The  different 
sections  into  which  the  Presbytery  was  divided  had 
frequent  meetings.  In  April,  1659,  tlie  General  Pres- 
bytery or  Synod  met  at  Ballymena,  and  at  the  request 
of  Henry  Cromwell,  they  appointed  three  of  their 
number  to  visit  Portumna,  in  the  county  of  Galway, 
for  the  purpose  of  planting  the  gospel,  where  the 
population  were  for  the  most  part  papists ;  but  the 
plan  was  never  carried  out,  Cromwell's  attention  being 
soon  after  occupied  with  affairs  in  England. 

Richard  Cromwell  soon  found  himself  incapable  of 
maintaining  his  father's  government,  and  the  Parlia- 
ment, which,  on  account  of  financial  difficulties,  he  had 
called  in  January,   was  dissolved  by  him  in  April. 
The  army  again  asserted  its  power  by  seizing  the  gov- 
ernment,  and  in  May  the  Rump  Parliament,  which 
had  been  dissolved  by  Oliver  in  1653,  resumed  their 
sittings.     On  the  7th  of  Jane  it  determined  that  Ire- 
land should  again  be  governed  by  commissioners  of 
their  appointment,  and  sent  letters  of  recall  to  Henry 
Cromwell,   and  empowered  Miles   Corbet,   the   chief 
baron,  and  Steele,  the  chancellor,  who  had  been  nomi- 
nated  as  commissioners,  to  carry  on  the  government 
until  the  arrival  of  their  colleagues,  Jones,  Basill,  and 
Goodwin.     Before  these  letters  arrived,  Henry  Crom- 
well wrote  to  the  Speaker  of  the  House,  resigning  his 
office,  and  retired  to  his  estate  in  England,  where  he 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  hfe.     And  on  the  9th  of 
July,  Ludlow,  the  celebrated  republican,  was  appointed 
commander-in-chief  of  the  army  in  Ireland. 

During  these  fluctuations  in  the  government,  the 
Presbyterians  in  Ulster  were  but  little  affected,  but  it 
soon  became  evident  that  their  only  permament  secu- 


208  CHARLES  II.    RESTORED.  [Ch.  XV. 

rity  would  be  in  the  restoration  of  tlieir  exiled  King, 
and  from  them  proceeded  the  first  motion  for  his  re- 
storation. But,  *in  the  meantime,  further  difficulties 
had  occurred  in  England.  The  Rump  Parliament, 
whose  sittings  had  been  interrupted  by  the  interference 
of  the  army  in  the  month  of  October,  resumed  their 
sittings  in  the  end  of  December.  At  this  session  they 
recalled  the  Irish  commissioners,  approved  the  conduct 
of  Sir  Charles  Coote  and  Sir  Hardress  Waller  in  ob- 
taining possession  of  the  important  garrisons  in  Ire- 
land, and  on  the  19th  of  January,  1660,  they  appointed 
these  officers,  with  three  others,  new  commissioners  for 
Ireland.  But  their  power  was  soon  brought  to  an  end, 
for  on  the  21st  of  February  the  members  who  had 
been  formerly  excluded  by  the  army,  under  Colonel 
Pride,  resumed  their  seats,  under  the  protection  and  by 
the  orders  of  Monck ;  and  the  violent  republicans  hav- 
ing retired  in  disgust^  the  Presbyterian  or  constitu- 
tional party  became  once  more  predominant. 

The  Long  Parliament,  thus  restored  to  the  state  in 
which  it  was  prior  to  the  death  of  Charles  I.,  after  dis- 
patching their  more  pressing  business,  and  having  sum- 
moned another  Parliament  to  meet  in  the  month  of 
April  following,  dissolved  themselves  on  the  16th  of 
March,  1660.  The  new  Parliament,  composed  of  both 
Lords  and  Commons,  met  on  the  25th  of  April,  and 
invited  Charks  II.  to  return  and  resume  the  crown,  as 
his  hereditary  right.  But  they  committed  a  fatal  error, 
which  required  another  revolution  to  rectify,  in  recall- 
ing the  king,  and  reinvesting  him  with  power,  before 
due  stipulations  had  been  made  for  the  constitutional 
exercise  of  the  royal  prerogative. 


CHAPTER     XYI 

1660-1662. 

The  changes  which  were  occurring  ia  England  had 
their  influence  upon  affairs  in  Ireland.     Sir  Charles 
Coote,  heretofore  the  friend  of  the  commonwealth,  now 
united  with  Lord  Broghill,  in  seeking  the  interests  of 
Charles,  and  opened  a  correspondence  with  him  and 
with  General  Monck.     Sir  Hardress  Waller,  another 
of  the  commissioners,  suspecting  their  design,  seized 
the  castle  of  Dublin  in  the  name  of  the  Parliament,  but 
after  a  siege  of  five  days  he  was  forced  to  surrender  to 
Coote.     The  government  was  now  in  the  hands  of  the 
royalists,  supported  by  the  Presbyterians,  and  was  gov- 
erned by  a  council  of  military  officers,  who  took  ac- 
tive measures  for  the  restoration  of  the  King. 

The  Irish  Parliament  having  been  legally  dissolved, 
it  was  impossible,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Long  Parliament, 
to  hold  another ;  and  accordingly  an  informal  Parlia- 
ment, or  general  convention,  was  called  by  the  coun- 
cil and  the  chief  men  of  the  country.    It  met  in  Dublm 
on  the  Tth  of  February,  and  Sir  James  Barry,  (after- 
wards Lord  Santroey)  was  chosen  president,  and  the 
Eev.  Samuel  Cox,  a  noted  Presbyterian  mimster  of 
Dublin,  the  chaplain.     Their  first  act  was  to  call  eight 
ministers,  two  from  each  province  in  Ireland,  to  give 
their  advice  in  reference  to  the  cause  of  education  and 
the  welfare  of  the  Church.    These  ministers  appeared  in 


210  THE   CONVENTION.  [Ch.  XVI. 

Dublin,  and  after  consultation  determined  to  recommend 
to  the  convention  the  propriety  of  renewing  the  Cove- 
nant ;  their  plan  was  defeated  by  the  opposition  of  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Vesey,  of  Coleraine,  and  Sir  James  Barry, 
the  president  of  the  convention.  They,  however,  drew 
up  a  list  of  near  a  hundred  orthodox  and  faithful  min- 
isters, besides  those  belonging  to  the  Presbytery  in  Ul- 
ster, which  they  presented  to  the  convention,  as  being 
legally  entitled  to  the  tithes  of  the  parishes.  These 
measures  of  the  eight  ministers  were  counteracted  by 
the  influence  of  Coote  and  his  associates,  in  whose 
hands  resided  the  whole  authority  for  the  settlement 
and  maintenance  of  ministers.  Influenced  bv  news 
which  they  received  from  Charles,  they  changed  their 
polic}^  in  regard  to  the  Presbyterians,  and  allowed  the 
bishops  who  had  remained  in  Ireland  to  receive  com- 
pensation for  their  services,  and  gave  them  tbeir  titles, 
which  had  for  a  long  time  been  denied. 

On  the  8th  of  May,  in  London,  and  on  the  14th,  in 
Dublin,  Charles  11.  was  proclaimed  Sovereign  of  the 
three  kingdoms,  and  on  the  28th  of  the  same  montli  the 
convention  adjourned,  having  appointed  Sir  John  Clot- 
worthy  and  others  to  attend  the  English  Parliament, 
and  Coote  and  Broghill  to  wait  upon  the  King  ;  and 
on  the  29th,  Charles  (it  being  his  birthday)  entered 
London,  amid  the  greatest  demonstrations  of  joy.  On 
his  accession  Charles  II.  made  great  promises  to  the 
Presbyterians,  therebj^  lulling  them  into  security ;  but 
in  a  short  time  he  threw  off  the  mask — restored  pre- 
lacy and  the  liturgy,  denounced  the  Covenant  and  its 
adherents,  and  refused  toleration  to  ISTon-Conformists, 
in  the  face  of  all  his  promises  and  solemn  Ociths. 

The  Presbyterians  in  Ulster,  like  their  brethren  in 


IGGO.]  STATE  OF  THE   PRESBYTERY.  211 

England,  were  deceived  bj  the  hopes  held  out  hy 
Charles,  and  on  the  adjournment  of  the  Convention 
sent  a  deputation  to  the  King  to  explain  their  state 
and  solicit  his  protection.  On  their  arrival  in  London 
thej  applied  to  their  friend,  Sir  John  Clotworthj,  for 
advice,  who  took  them  to  see  Mr.  Calanw,  Dr.  Manton 
and  others,  who  expressed  their  fears  that  their  peti- 
tion would  be  unacceptable  to  the  court  on  account 
of  its  strong  language  against  prelacy  and  its  advocacy 
of  the  Covenant.  Indeed,  the  King  had  already  not 
only  disowned  the  Covenant  and  declared  for  prelacy, 
but  had  named  Bishops  for  all  the  dioceses  in  Ireland. 
The  deputation  was  therefore  in  some  perplexity  what 
course  to  pursue ;  they  had  no  authority  from  their 
brethren  to  frame  another  address,  and  their  best 
friends  declined  to  introduce  them  to  the  court  with 
the  present  one.  They  were  therefore  at  last  prevailed 
upon  to  throw  out  the  clause  referring  to  prelacy  and 
the  Covenant,  and  were  introduced  to  the  King,  who 
gave  them  fair  words  and  a  promise  of  his  protection. 
The  Presbyterians  of  Ulster  were  now  entering  up- 
on another  period  of  suffering  and  persecution.  They 
had  for  some  years  been  in  a  highly  prosperous  con- 
dition. Their  ministers  had  been  faithful  in  promo- 
ting and  consolidating  her  interests.  During  this  time 
Presbyterianism  had  struck  its  roots  so  deeply  through- 
out the  province  that  during  all  the  succeeding  times 
of  persecution  it  stood  firm  and  flourishing,  while 
others  w^ere  completely  prostrated.  In  the  year  1653, 
there  were  only  about  half-a-dozen  ministers  remain- 
ing in  Ireland,  and  now  there  was  not  less  than  seventy 
permanently  settled  ministers,  having  under  their 
charge  eighty  congregations,  com^Drising  a  population 


212  APPROACHING  TRIALS.  [Ch.  XVI. 

of  one  hundred  thousand  souls.  These  ministers  were 
associated  in  five  Presbyteries  which  were  subordinate 
to  a  general  synod,  which  met  four  times  in  each  year, 
and  the  ministers  received  by  them  were  strictly  ex- 
amined as  to  their  literary,  religious  and  theologi- 
cal views,  which  trials  often  extended  through  eight 
months.  Before  ordination,  they  were  required  to  take 
the  Solemn  League  and  Covenant,  and  accept  the 
"Westminster  Confession  of  Faith,  Catechisms  and  Di- 
rectory, and  also  to  subscribe  the  Act  of  Bangor. 
These  ministers  were  settled  solely  upon  the  call  of 
their  respective  parishes.  Discipline  was  rigidly  en- 
forced ;  visitation  from  house  to  house  was  main- 
tained ;  catechetical  instruction  was  faithfully  given  to 
all  classes,  and  thus  was  laid  the  foundation  of  that 
solid  acquaintance  with  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  as 
exhibited  in  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith  and 
Catechism,  which  preserved  the  Church  in  unity  and 
vigor  amidst  the  distracting  sects  and  heresies  of  the 
protectorate,  and  the  subsequent  snares  and  persecu- 
tions of  the  prelacy. 

The  hour  of  trial  was  now  approaching.  A  few 
weeks  after  the  arrival  of  the  King  in  London  he 
had  nominated  persons  to  the  vacant  sees  in  Ireland. 
Bramhall  became  Archbishop  of  Armagh  (and  Pri- 
mate;) Jones  of  Clogher;  Lohn  Leslie  of  Raphoe ; 
Henry  Leslie  of  Meath  ;  Down  and  Connor,  his  former 
see  being  given  to  the  famous  Jeremy  Taylor ;  and 
Robert  Leslie,  the  son  of  Henry,  was  appointed  to  the 
see  of  Dromore.  The  gentry-,  especially  those  who 
had  been  most  active  against  the  restoration,  now 
hastened  to  excite  the  State  against  the  Presbyterians. 
The  very  ministers  whom  they  had  so  lately  persecu- 


1661.]  PERSECUTIONS.  213 

ted  on  account  of  their  loyalty  they  now  denounced 
as  unworthy  of  toleration. 

Lord  Kobart?,  who  had  been  appointed  on  the  acces- 
sion of  Charles  Lord-Deputy  of  Ireland,  was  soon 
after  recalled  and  the  government  committed  to  three 
Lords  Justices,  namely,  Sir  Charles  Coote,  who  had 
been  recently  created  Earl  of  Montrath,  Sir  Maurice 
Eustice,  the  Lord  Chancellor,  and  Lord  BroghiU,  now 
Earl  of  Orrer}^  They  were  sworn  into  .office  on  the 
last  day  of  December,  and  on  the  27th  of  J?.nuary, 
1661,  two  Archbishops  and  ten  Bishops  Y/ere  conse- 
crated in  St.  Patrick's  Cathedral,  Dublin,  with  great 
pomp  and  formality.  One  of  the  first  acts  of  the 
Lords  Justices  was  to  appoint  an  extraordinary  fast  to 
be  held  on  the  30th  of  January,  the  anniversary  of 
the  execution  of  the  late  King,  and  at  the  instigation 
of  the  Bishops  they  issued  a  proclamation  forbidding 
all  unlawful  assemblies  (including  the  Presbytery)  and 
ordering  the  officers  to  prevent  or  disperse  them. 

Notwithstanding  this  order  the  Presbytery  met  in 
Ballymena,  in  the  month  of  March,  to  consult  as  to 
the  proper  course  to  be  pursued,  which,  coming  to  the 
ears  of  the  authorities,  a  troop  of  horse  was  sent  to 
disperse  them,  but  they  had  providentially  dissolved 
before  it  arrived.  Afterwards  they  met  more  privately, 
and  sent  four  of  their  number  as  commissioners  to 
the  Lords  Justices  in  Dublin,  praying  that  the  promises 
of  the  King  might  be  fulfilled.  At  the  request  of  Sir 
John  Clot  worth  V,  now  Lord  Massareene,  thev  were 
admitted  to  the  council,  but  retired  without  any  satis- 
faction. 

Soon  after  their  return,  the  Presbytery  were  sum- 
moned by  the  Bishop  of  Down,  Jeremy  Taylor,  to  his 


214        TAYLOR   SUMMONS   THE   PRESBYTERY.      [Ch.  XYI. 

visitation.     In  answer  to  this  summons  tlaej  sent  three 
of  their  number  to  the  Bishop,  to  express  their  willing- 
ness to  meet  him,  and  confer  with  him  on  the  interests 
of  the  Church,  but  declining  to  submit  to  his  Episcopal 
jurisdiction  ;    and    after  a  long  dispute  he  dismissed 
them,  and  soon  after,  in  one  day,  he  ejected  thirtj^-six 
of  them   from   their  churches,  holding,  that   as   they 
were   not  ministers,  never  having  been  ordained  by 
Bishops,  it  required  no  process   of  suspension  or  ex- 
communication, but  a  simple  declaration  that  their  par- 
ishes were  vacant,   which   he  immediately  filled  with 
priests  and  curates   of  his  own   choosing.     'Not  long 
after,  the  rest  of  the  brethren  in  the  diocese  were  eject- 
ed, except  Hamilton  of  Killead  and   Cunningham  of 
Antrim,  who,  through  the  intercession  of  Lord  Mas- 
sareene,  were  allowed  to  preach  for  six  months  longer. 
This  example  of  Taylor  was  soon  followed  by  the 
other  prelates  in  Ulster.     Not  only  were  the  ministers 
cut  off  from  their  churches  and  livings,  but  were  for- 
bidden, under  heavy  penalties,  from  preaching,  bap- 
tizing or  exhorting  their   suffering  people.      Of  the 
sixty-eight   Presbyterian    ministers   in    Ulster,    only 
seven  conformed  to  the  reestablished  Church,  the  rest 
submitting  to  their  extreme  privations,  and  continu- 
ing their  ministry  in  secret.     Of  this   noble   army  of 
confessors,  sixteen  were   members   of  the  Presbytery 
of  Down,  fourteen  of  Antrim,  ten  of  Eoute,  eight  of 
Tyrone,  and  thirteen  of  Lagan.     These  ministers  were 
the  first  to  suffer  in  the  three  kingdoms,  the  Non- 
Conformists   of   England  not   being   ejected   till   the 
month  of  August  in  the  following  year,  nor  the  Pres- 
byterians of  Scotland  till  the  subsequent  month  of  Oc- 
tober,  1662.     The  cause  of  their  being  the  first  to 


1661.]  MEETING   OF  THE   IRISH   PAIILIAMENT.        215 

suffer  arose  from  the  fact  that  the  old  form  of  church 
government  and  worship  had  never  been  abolished  bj 
law  in  Ireland ;  and,  therefore,  at  the  Eestoration, 
prelacy  being  still  the  legal  establishment,  Avas  imme- 
diately recognized  and  enforced.  Bat  in  England  and 
Scotland  it  had  been  abolished  by  acts  of  Parliament, 
and  the  Directory  substituted  in  room  of  the  Prayer 
Book.  It  was  necessary,  therefore,  that  these  acts 
should  be  first  repealed,  and  new  acts  passed  before 
the  Bishops  had  power  to  proceed  against  those  who 
did  not  conform. 

After  an  interval  of  nearly  twenty  years,  the  Irish 
Parliament  met  on  the  8th  of  May,  and  was  opened 
by  a  sermon  from  Bishop  Taylor.  Archbishop  Bram- 
hall  was  chosen  Speaker  of  the  Lords,  and  Auclley 
Mervyn,  who  had  in  1640  impeached  Bramhall  and 
others  of  high  treason,  was  elected  Speaker  of  the 
Commons.  Lord  Massareene  was  the  only  man  in  the 
House  of  Lords  who  was  a  friend  of  the  Presbyterians, 
but  there  were  quite  a  number  in  the  Commons  who 
sympathized  with  them. 

Soon  after  its  organization  the  Parliament  adopted 
a  Declaration  forbidding  any  to  preach  in  Ireland 
unless  they  conformed.  This  was  on  motion  of  Lord 
Montgomery,  of  Ards,  who  had  twice  solemnly  sworn 
in  the  Covenant  to  extirpate  prelacy ;  and  ten  days  after 
an  act  was  passed  condemning  the  Solemn  League 
and  Covenant,  as  "  schismatical,  seditious  and  treason- 
able," and  ordering  it  to  be  burned  in  the  towns  and 
cities  of  the  kingdom  by  the  common  hangman.  This 
was  faithfully  performed  in  all  the  towns,  except  Car- 
rickfergus,  where  the  Mayor,  Captain  John  Dalway, 
of  an  ancient  Presbyterian  family,  refused  to  comply, 


216  ORMOND  ARRIVES.  [Ch.  XVI. 

for  which  he  was  brought  on  his  knees  to  the  bar  of 
the  House  of  Lords,  and  fined  one  hundred  pounds. 
This  act  of  burning  the  Covenant  led  to  some  impru- 
dent measures  on  the  part  of  a  few  young  ministers, 
who,  under  the  influence  of  the  Scottish  Covenanters, 
held  great  meetings  in  the  open  air,  and  preached 
against  the  government,  denouncing  as  unfaithful  and 
time-serving  their  more  prudent  brethren,  who  thought 
no  such  measures  called  for  in  the  Church  of  Ireland, 
and  by  their  cautious,  self-denying  conduct,  not  only 
edified  their  people  at  the  time,  but  eventually  led  to 
the  removal  of  the  yoke  which  galled  them. 

On  the  4th  of  November  the  Duke  of  Ormond  was 
nominated  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  but  he  did  not 
come  over  till  July  in  the  following  year.  In  the  mean- 
time the  Lords  Justices,  who  were  disposed  to  toleration, 
continued  their  government,  but  it  gradually  became 
more  rigorous  and  severe,  through  the  instigation  of  the 
Bishops,  until  on  the  30th  of  April  they  issued  a  proc- 
lamation, in  which  they  state,  that  as  ''  Eecusants,  Non- 
Conformists  and  Sectaries  had  grown  worse  by  clem- 
ency," no  further  indulgence  would  be  granted  by  the 
State.  But  the  arrival  of  Ormond  on  the  27th  of 
July,  and  his  immediate  entrance  upon  the  office  of 
Lord  Lieutenant  and  Governor  of  Ireland,  gave  them 
a  little  relief  He  was  disposed  to  sympathize  with 
them  for  their  former  sufferings  on  behalf  of  the  King, 
so  long  as  they  did  not  excite  the  jealousy  of  the  Bish- 
ops. His  administration  on  the  whole,  which  lasted 
for  seven  years,  presented  a  remarkable  contrast  to  the 
unprecedented  severity  with  which  the  Non-Comform- 
ists  and  Presbyterians  were  treated  at  this  period,  both 
in  England  and  Scotland. 


1662.]     PRESBYTERIANS  CONTINUE  THEIR  LABORS.      217 

Through o.ut  the  year  1662  the  ministers  continued 
to  perform  such  labors  as  the  times  would  permit,  living 
in  peace  and  loyalty  to  the  magistrates.  Yet  they 
were  unable  to  suppress  the  calumnies  and  misrepre- 
sentations raised  by  their  enemies.  Lord  Massareene, 
their  constant  friend,  residing  in  Dublin,  and  a  member 
of  the  Privy  Council,  recommended  to  them  the  prep- 
aration of  a  vindication  of  themselves,  to  be  presented 
to  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  and  did  himself  prepare  a 
draft  of  one,  which  he  submitted  to  them,  but  fear- 
ing that  in  such  a  paper  they  would  be  required  to 
say  more  than  their  consciences  would  allow,  they  de- 
clined to  present  it,  but  sent  three  of  their  brethren, 
Patrick  Adair,  Andrew  Stewart  and  William  Semple, 
to  Dublin  to  consult  with  Lord  Massareene.  They  ar- 
rived in  Dublin  in  August,  1662,  where  they  remained 
until  the  end  of  October.  While  there  they  prepared 
a  petition,  which  was  presented  to  the  Duke  by  Lord 
Montgomery,  now  Earl  of  Mount  Alexander,  and  Sir 
Arthur  Forbes,  and  afterward  they  were  introduced  to 
Ormond  by  Lord  Massareene.  The  next  day  he  re- 
marked to  these  noblemen  that  ''  by  their  petition  he 
perceived  they  had  suffered  for  the  King,  and  now 
they  were  like  to  suffer  under  the  King."  All  the  sat- 
isfaction they  could  get  from  him  was,  that  they  must 
"  live  according  to  the  law,  by  serving  God  in  their  own 
families,  without  getting  multitudes  together." 

10 


CHAPTER     XVII. 

1663-1684. 

Under  the  government  of  the  Duke  of  Ormond 
Ireland  enjoyed  comparative  tranquillity  for  several 
years,  which  was  interrupted  by  the  discovery  of  a 
conspiracy,  known  in  history  as  "Blood's  Plot."  It 
originated  among  some  old  Cromwellists,  as  they  were 
called,  who  were  scattered  through  the  country,  and 
who  had  an  abiding  antipathy  to  the  King's  govern- 
ment. Meeting  among  themselves  and  mourning  over 
the  oppressions  of  the  Bishops  and  the  increase  of  Pop- 
ery, they  formed  a  plan  for  ridding  themselves  of  the 
evil  and  securing  a  greater  liberty  of  conscience. 
Their  principal  leader  was  one  Thomas  Blood,  who 
had  been  an  ofl&cer  in  the  King's  arm}^  against  the 
first  Parliament,  but  coming  over  to  Ireland,  w^here  he 
bad  some  property  in  the  neighborhood  of  Dublin,  he 
came  in  contact  w^ith  his  brother-in-law,  Mr.  Leckie,  a 
Presbyterian  minister,  a  man  of  ability  and  learning, 
and  through  his  influence  ho  was  drawn  over  to  the 
Presbyterian  side.  Persuaded  by  Leckie,  he  entered 
■willingly  into  the  plans  of  the  conspirators.  Accord- 
ingly he  and  Leckie,  with  the  consent  of  the  rest, 
came  to  the  north  of  Ireland  and  visited  a  number  of 
prominent  Presbyterians,  among  whom  were  Mr. 
Greg,  Mr.  Stewart  of  Donaghadee,  and  Captain  James 
Moore,  and  at  a  meeting  called  at  the  house  of  Mr. 


1663.]  blood's  plot.  "^  219 

Greg,  they  opened  their  scheme,  aggravating  the  ini- 
quities of  the  times,  the  nsurpations  of  the  Bishops,  the 
tyranny  of  the  courts,  the  increase  of  Popery  and  the 
misgovernment  of  the  State,  and  in  the  end  proposed 
that  they  should  go  to  Dublin,  where  the  whole  mat- 
ter would  be  explained  to  them,  at  the  same  time  de- 
claring that  nothing  was  intended  against  the  lawful 
authority  of  the  King. 

Finding  that  they  could  make  no  impression  iapon 
these  three  they  made  no  further  attempt  in  Down  and 
Antrim,  but  passed  into  Lagan  and  Antrim,  where 
tliey  met  the  same  discouragement,  except  from  Mr. 
McCormick  of  Magherally,  and  Mr.  Crookshanks  of 
Raphoe,  ^vho  had  already  become  connected  with  the 
plot.  From  thence  they  went  to  the  south  and  west 
of  Ireland,  having  no  further  correspondence  with  the 
north,  or  with  the  Scotch.  In  Dublin  they  held  private 
meetings,  and  carried  on  correspondence  with  those  in 
other  parts  of  the  kingdom  who  had  consented  to  act 
with  them.  But  one  to  whom  they  had  proposed  their 
plan  revealed  the  whole  to  Ormond,  who  advised  him 
to  continue  his  connection  with  them  until  the  plan 
was  ready  for  execution.  At  length,  on  the  22d  of 
May,  the  day  on  which  they  had  determined  to  seize 
the  castle  of  Dublin  and  take  the  Duke's  person,  they 
were  surprised  and  the  principal  conspirators  taken 
prisoners,  among  whom  was  Leckie,  Blood  making  his 
escape.  Among  their  papers  was  found  a  Declaration, 
giving  as  their  reasons  for  taking  up  arms  the  growth 
of  Popery  and  the  oppression  of  the  Bishops,  and  also 
a  list  of  the  names  of  those  who  were  concerned  with 
them.  The  names  of  the  three  whom  they  had  con- 
sulted in  Ulster  not  being  among  them. 


220  PRESBYTERIANS   IMPLICATED.  [Ch.  XVll. 

The  Duke  of  Ormond  was  very  active  in  seeking  for 
those  who  were  implicated  in  this  plot :  and  his  sus- 
picions being  greatly  excited  against  the  Scotch  minis- 
ters he  caused  all  of  them  in  Down  and  Antrim  to  be 
arrested  on  one  day,  and  most  of  them  suffered  much 
from  their  imprisonment  and  the  unjust  suspicions 
raised  against  them,  although  their  sufferings  Avere 
mitigated  through  the  intercession  of  Lord  Massareene 
and  the  Earl  of  Mount  Alexander.  On  the  2d  of  July 
the  chief  conspirators  were  brought  to  trial,  and  three 
of  them  being  convicted  of  high  treason  were  con- 
demned and  executed.  Leckie  became  insane  during 
his  imprisonment  and  was  not  on  trial  with  the  others, 
but  getting  better  he  made  his  escape,  but  was  soon 
recaptured,  and  offered  his  life  if  he  would  conform, 
which  he  refusing  to  do  was  executed  on  the  following 
December. 

This  unhappy  affair  greatly  excited  the  Lords  Just- 
ices against  the  ministers  of  the  north,  and  they  were 
ordered  to  leave  the  countrj^  or  suffer  imprisonment. 
All  except  two,  Keyes  and  Cathcart,  chose  exile  rather 
than  imprisonment,  and  most  of  them  went  over  to 
Scotland ;  a  few,  through  the  intercession  of  influen- 
tial friends,  were  allowed  to  remain  in  Ireland  in  a 
private  capacity,  employing  themselves  in  privately 
instructing  and  conversing  with  the  people ;  and  so 
blameless  were  their  lives  that  the  Duke  of  Ormond 
granted  them  an  indulgence  of  six  months  from  the 
interference  of  the  courts  on  account  of  their  non-con- 
formity. On  the  25th  of  June  Bramhall  died  sud- 
denly, and  was  succeeded  in  the  primacy  by  Marges - 
ton,  the  Bishop  of  Dublin,  who,  being  a  man  of  a  mild 
and  conciliatory  temper,  the  indulgence  of  the  minis- 


IC68.]  MINISTERS   IMPRISONED.  221 

ters  was  extended  for  six  months  longer.  During  this 
period  of  relaxation  those  who  were  in  prison  were  re- 
leased, and  those  in  Scotland  returned,  one  by  one,  to 
their  congregations ;  so  that  in  a  short  time  all  who  had 
been  in  exile  returned,  except  McCormick  and  Crook- 
shanks,  who,  being  deeply  implicated  in  the  plot,  and 
not  seeking  or  expecting  pardon,  joined  the  army  in 
Scotland,  and  were  both  killed  at  the  battle  of  Pent- 
land,  where  the  Presbyterians  were  commanded  by 
Lieutenant  James  Wallace. 

During  this  period  of  trouble  the  ministers  in  La- 
gan enjoyed  more  security  aod  peace  than  their  breth- 
ren in  Down  and  Antrim.  But  Eobert  Leslie,  Bishop 
of  Kaphoe,  envying  their  ease,  summoned  four  of  them 
to  appear  before  his  court,  but  they,  not  answering  the 
summons,  were  excommunicated,  and  thrown  into  the 
common  jail,  but  through  the  intercession  of  friends 
they  were  permitted  to  live  together  in  a  house  in  the 
the  town,  where  they  remained  prisoners  for  six  years, 
notwithstanding  every  effort  was  made  by  their  friends 
for  their  release. 

This  harsh  example  of  Leslie,  who  inherited  the  in- 
tolerant spirit  of  his  father,  the  late  Bishop  of  Down, 
was  not  followed  by  the  other  prelates  of  Ulster  ;  so 
that  in  the  course  of  four  or  five  years  the  Presbyterian 
Church  had  nearly  recovered  its  former  position  in  the 
province.  The  ministers  now  preached  more  publicly, 
and  by  degrees  they  attained  to  such  freedom,  that  in 
1668  they  built  houses  of  worship,  and  perfoi'med  all 
the  ordinances  of  the  Church  publicly.  The  Presby- 
terians held  their  regular  monthly  meetings,  and  the 
discipline  of  the  Church  was  revived. 

There  appeared  to  be  at  this  period  a  growing  dis- 


222      PROSPERITY   OF  THE   PRESBYTERIANS.     [Ch.  XYII. 

satisfaction  with  tlie  established  Church  among  the 
people.  Those  who  owned  estates  found  their  ten- 
ants oppressed  and  impoverished  through  the  drain 
occasioned  by  their  rents  and  tithes.  They  were  dis- 
gusted with  the  pride  and  unreasonable  exactions  of 
the  superior  clergj',  which  bound  them  more  closely 
to  their  own  laborious  ministers.  Owing  to  these  and 
other  causes,  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Ulster,  at  the 
beginning  of  the  year  1669,  had  attained  to  great  pros^ 
perity,  and  one  of  the  ministers  in  a  letter  to  a  friend 
in  Scotland,  written  in  April,  1669,  says,  "It  is  a  mat- 
ter of  rejoicing  that  the  Lord's  work  seems  to  be  re- 
viving here.  Christ  has  a  Church  here  that  appears 
with  the  fairest  face,  and  the  cleanest  garments  ;  and 
has  proven  most  faithful  with  Grod  of  any  of  the  three, 
(national  churches,)  and  really  hath  much  of  the  light 
of  his  countenance.  The  sun  seems  to  have  fairly  risen 
on  this  land  ;  whether  it  may  be  soon  overclouded  I 
can  not  say  :  but  Presbyterians'  liberty  is  in  many 
places  little  less  than  when  they  had  law  for  them. 
They  are  settling  their  ministers  with  encouragement, 
and  building  public  houses  of  worship  for  their  meet- 
ings, and  providing  vacancies  with  ministers.  About 
a  month  ago  I  had  occasion  to  be  at  Dublin,  when  the 
sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  was  administered  pub- 
lickly  on  the  Lord's  day,  at  the  ordinary  time,  and  some 
hundreds  standing  without,  the  doors  and  windows  of 
a  throng  meeting  house  being  cast  open." 

In  September,  1669,  the  Duke  of  Ormond  was  sup- 
perseded  by  Lord  Robarts  as  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ire- 
land— a  man  of  unblemished  character,  an  opposer  of 
the  vicious,  and  tolerant  to  those  who  differed  from 
him.     But  these  high  qualities  soon  made  him  unpop- 


1670.]  THE   SYNOD   ORGANIZED.  223 

ular  with  the  army  and  gentry,  which  occasioned  his 
recall  in  the  following  April,  and  Lord  Berkley  was 
apj^ointed  to  succeed  him. 

About  this  time  the  Church  w^as  troubled  by  the 
preaching  of  some  ministers  who  had  come  over  from 
Scotland,  the  most  prominent  of  whom  was  the  well- 
known  Alexander  Peden.  They  collected  great  mul- 
titudes together  ia  the  fields  ;  and  because  the  resident 
ministers  disapproved  of  thi^  indiscreet  course,  they 
were  denounced  as  time-servers,  and  cowardly  betrayers 
of  the  interests  of  the  truth .  It  was  at  this  time  that  a 
general  convention,  or  synod,  was  organized,  as  pre- 
viously mentioned, — and  among  other  acts  it  recom- 
mended contributions  to  be  taken  up  for  the  exiled 
Scots  in  Holland,  among  whom  were  the  Rev.  John 
Livingston  and  Colonel  James  Wallace,  both  of 
whom  died  at  Rotterdam  a  few  years  later.  They  also 
appointed  Mr.  Grreg  to  prepare  a  history  of  the  Church 
of  Ireland. 

A  new  trouble  now  arose  among  the, ministers  in 
Down,  through  the  instigation  of  Bishop  Robert  Les- 
lie, of  Raphoe,  who,  visiting  Bishop  Boyle,  the  succes- 
sor of  Jeremy  Taylor,  and  upbraiding  him  for  his  negli- 
gence and  want  of  zeal,  Boyle  was  induced  to  carry  his 
persecutions  further  than  even  Leslie  had  done  in  Ra- 
phoe. He  therefore  summoned  twelve  of  the  ministers 
to  appear  before  his  court,  threatening  them  with  ex- 
communication. The  ministers,  after  meeting  for  con- 
sulation,  dispatched  one  of  their  number  to  Dublin,  to 
present  their  difficulty  to  the  Lord  Lieutenant.  In  this 
they  were  greatly  befriended  by  Sir  Arthur  Forbes, 
who,  at  the  death  of  Lord  Massareene,  which  occurred 
in  Septembc]',    1665,   had   become   the  great   patron 


224  DEATH  OF  MINISTERS.  [Oh.  XVII. 

of  the  Presbyterians.  He,  knowing  tlieir  sufferings 
and  their  loyalty,  interceded  with  Primate  Margeston 
in  their  behalf  with  such  success  that  a  letter  was 
written  to  Boyle  to  stop  all  proceedings  in  the  case 
until  the  10th  of  August,  at  which  time  the  Pri- 
mate would  be  in  the  north  on  his  triennial  visitation, 
and  would  himself  adjudicate  the  case. 

In  the  meantime  the  Presbyterians  had  lost  some  of 
their  most  valuable  ministers  by  death.  James  Cun- 
ningham and  Thomas  Crawford  had  died  at  the  close 
of  the  year,  and  James  Shaw,  Gilbert  Eamsay,  and 
Thomas  Peebles  soon  after  ;  and  on  the  22d  of  July 
John  Greg  was  buried,  and  Mr.  Kichardson  followed  a 
week  later.  The  death  of  these  prominent  men  was 
a  great  blow  to  the  Church  ;  but  their  loss  was  soon 
made  up  by  the  arrival  of  young  men  from  Scotland, 
not  less  than  six  being  settled  in  the  Presbytery  of 
Down  about  this  time.  Their  freedom  from  persecu- 
tion at  this  period  is  remarkable  ;  for  at  that  very  time 
meetings  of  Non-Conformists,  or  Conventicles,  both  in 
England  and  Scotland,  were  violently  suppressed,  not 
more  than  five  persons  being  allowed  to  worship  to- 
gether, but  in  the  way  prescribed  by  law. 

A  remarkable  casualty,  which,  according  to  the 
habit  of  the  times,  if  not  of  all  times,  was  regarded 
as  a  special  divine  judgment  on  the  persecutors  and 
oppressors  of  the  Church,  was  the  falling  of  the  gal- 
lery in  the  new  theatre  at  Dublin,  during  the  per- 
formance of  a  play  called  the  Non-Conformist,  and 
designed  to  ridicule  the  scruples  and  sufferings  of  the 
Presbyterians  in  particular.  Among  the  injured  were 
a  son  of  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  and  Ladv  Clanbrassil, 


1671.1  TROUBLES   FROM   FANATICS.  225 

who,  the  year  before,  had  caused  the  preaching  house 
at  Bangor  to  be  pulled  down. 

Lord  Berkley,  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  having  occasion 
to  visit  England,  the  Lord  Chancellor  and  Sir  Arthur 
Forbes  were  appointed  Lords  Justices,  and  sworn  into 
office  on  the  12th  of  June,  1671.  Sir  Arthur  em- 
braced this  opportunity  of  releasing  from  prison  those 
who  had  been  confined  for  Non-Conformity,  and  among 
the  number  was  a  wheelwright  named  John  Goodall, 
a  Scotchman,  who  had  settled  in  Armagh  shortly  be- 
fore the  restoration.  Being  a  strong  opposer  of  pre- 
lacy, he  excited  the  anger  of  the  clergy,  who  had  him 
cast  into  prison  for  working  at  his  trade  on  Christmas- 
day,  and  refusing  to  comply  in  any  particular  with  the 
religious  forms  of  the  establishment,  where  he  re- 
mained for  three  years,  until  released  by  Forbes. 

The  Presbytery  was  at  this  time  troubled  by  an  in- 
ternal difficulty,  caused  by  the  fanatical  presumption 
of  an  indiscreet  and  turbulent  licentiate  named  David 
Houston.  Hitherto  there  had  been  the  greatest  har- 
mony existing  among  the  members  of  the  Presbytery, 
and  all  were  united  in  promoting  the  peace  and  pros- 
perity of  the  Church,  until  the  arrival  of  Houston,  who, 
under  the  influence  of  Peden,  already  noticed,  col- 
lected together  large  assemblies  at  unusual  times  and 
places,  in  opposition  to  the  settled  pastors.  The  Pres- 
byteries of  Antrim  and  of  Eoute  remonstrated  with 
him  on  the  evils  which  would  flow  from  his  course ; 
and  at  length,  on  the  23d  of  August,  1671,  he  ap- 
peared before  the  latter  Presbytery,  and  read  a  public 
acknowledgment  of  his  fault.  But  in  a  few  months 
he  had  returned  to  his  former  practices.  Accordingly, 
in  January,  1672,  the  Presbytery  were  again  compelled 

10* 


226  DAVID  HOUSTON.  [Ch.  XYII. 

to  interfere,  and  advised  him  to  remove  out  of  their 
bounds,  which  he  declining  to  do,  they,  on  the  27th 
of  February,  withdrew  his  license.  The  General  Com- 
mittee approved  of  this  action,  and  directed  further 
proceedings  against  him  for  certain  alleged  immo- 
ralities ;  but  Houston,  becoming  alarmed  at  their 
firmness,  again  owned  his  misconduct,  and  after  a 
suspension  of  a  year  the  Presbytery  restored  his  li- 
cense in  July,  1773.  This  self-willed  and  unstable 
preacher,  by  his  irregular  proceedings,  laid  the  foun- 
dation of  that  division  in  the  Presbyterian  church  in 
Ulster  which  still  subsists,  and  he  is  claimed  as  one  of 
the  earliest  witnesses  to  the  peculiar  opinions  of  the 
Covenanting  or  Eeformed  Presbyterian  church  that 
appeared  in  the  north  of  Ireland.  The  experience  of 
the  Presbytery  in  this  difficult  case  led  them  to  a  more 
careful  scrutiny  of  those  who  applied  for  licensure  and 
ordination,  and  resulted  in  the  adoption  by  the  Gren- 
eral  Committee,  in  February,  1772,  of  some  admirable 
rules  for  ordination. 

Among  the  tokens  of  returning  favor  to  the  Presby- 
terians was  the  unsolicited  donation,  by  the  King,  of 
a  yearly  pension  of  six  hundred  pounds  upon  the  civil 
list  of  Ireland  to  the  ministers  of  Ulster.  This  grant 
is  said  to  have  been  made  through  Sir  Arthur  Forbes, 
and  in  consideration  of  their  loyalty  to  Charles  during 
his  exile ;  but  as  it  was  included  under  the  head  of 
secret  service  money,  not  to  be  accounted  for,  it  is  a 
matter  of  dispute,  or  at  least  of  discordant  statements, 
whether  it  was  actually  paid  more  than  one  or  two 
years  during  the  remainder  of  the  reign  of  Charles  and 
that  of  James  II.,  though  it  furnished  a  precedent  and 
an  example  for  the  Regium  Donum,  afterwards  granted 


1679.]  JEALOUSY   OF  THE   STATE  AROUSED.  227 

to  the  Presbyterian  churcli  of  Ireland.  During  this 
period  of  tranquillity  the  Presbyterians  began  to  ex- 
tend their  operations  beyond  Ulster,  sending  supplies 
to  Clonmel,  Ross,  Tipperarj,  Waterford,  Wexford, 
and  Wicklow,  while  at  home  they  encouraged  the 
erection  of  a  school  at  Antrim,  over  which  there  pre- 
sided for  a  time  the  illustrious  John  Howe,  who  resided 
in  Ireland  for  five  years  as  domestic  chaplain  to  the 
Clotworthy  family. 

The  jealousy  of  the  State  was  again  aroused  against 
the  Presbyterians  by  the  unfortunate  enterprise  of 
their  oppressed  brethren  in  Scotland,  which  terminated 
in  the  decisive  battle  of  Bothwell  Bridsfe,  on  the  22d 
of  June,  1679.  The  news  of  this  insurrection  alarmed 
Ormond,  who  had  been  once  more  appointed  to  the 
office  of  Lord  Lieutenant.  He  immediately  ordered  a 
frigate  to  cruise  in  the  channel,  to  cut  off  all  commu- 
nication with  Scotland,  and  reinforced  the  garrison  of 
Carrickfergus ;  and  the  Earl  of  Mount  Alexander  was 
stationed  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Antrim,  to  arrest  any 
who  attempted  to  cross  from  Scotland.  Reports  were 
circulated  that  the  Presbyterians  were  ripe  for  a  simi- 
lar insurrection;  and  to  vindicate  themselves,  the 
Presbyterians  of  Down  and  of  Antrim  prepared  an 
address  to  Ormond,  declaring  their  continued  obe- 
dience to  the  law,  which  had  the  effect  of  allaying 
the  apprehensions  of  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  and  they 
continued  to  enjoy  their  freedom  for  a  year  and  a 
half,  when  an  opportunity  occurred  for  a  renewed 
persecution. 

The  Presbytery  of  Lagan,  in  the  beginning  of  the 
year  1681,  appointed  a  fast-day,  and,  according  to  their 
usual    custom,  assigned  their  reasons  for  holding  it. 


228  PRESBYTEEIANS   PERSECUTED.  [Ch.  XVII. 

These  were  understood  by  the  authorities  as  charging 
them  with  perfidy  and  tyranny,  for  which  they  were 
brought  before  the  Council,  condemned  by  a  jury, 
and  sentenced  to  pay  a  fine  of  twenty  pounds  each, 
and  to  subscribe  an  engagement  not  to  offend  in  a 
similar  manner  again,  and  to  be  imprisoned  till  they 
would  comply.  Refusing  to  enter  into  this  engage- 
ment, they  remained  in  prison  for  eight  months.  Im- 
mediately succeeding  their  condemnation,  the  Pre- 
latists  throughout  Ulster  renewed  their  persecution  of 
the  Non-Conformists.  The  Presbyterian  meeting- 
houses were  closed,  their  public  exercises  of  worship 
were  forbidden,  the  penalties  of  recusancy  were  in 
many  places  inflicted,  and  the  Presbyterians  were 
forced  to  hold  their  meetings  secretly.  This  contin- 
ued for  two  years,  it  being  the  period  in  which  Russel 
and  Sydney  were  brought  to  the  scaffold  in  England. 
During  the  year  1684,  the  state  of  the  Presbyterians 
in  Derry  and  Donegal  was  so  deplorable,  that  the 
greater  number  of  the  ministers  of  the  Presbytery  of 
Lagan  intimated  to  the  other  Presbyteries  their  intention 
of  removing  to  America ;  and  though  the  execution 
of  this  threat  was  prevented  by  the  death  of  Charles 
II.,  and  the  subsequent  appointment  of  Lord  Granard 
as  one  of  the  Lord  Justices,  it  is  an  interesting  point 
of  contact  with  the  history  of  our  own  Church,  that 
its  founder,  or  first  minister,  Francis  Makemie,  was 
ordained  and  sent  out  about  this  time  by  the  Lagan 
■'  Meeting,"  in  response  to  a  request  of  "  Colonel 
Stevens  from  Maryland,  beside  Yirginia."  Makemie 
was  from  the  neighborhood  of  Ramelton,  in  Donegal, 
and  was  enrolled  as  a  student  in  the  University  of 


1681.]  MAKEMIE.  229 

Glasgow,  in  1675.  He  was  first  introduced  to  the  Pres- 
bytery in  January,  1680,  by  bis  minister,  the  Eev.  T. 
Drummond,  and  was  licensed  by  the  Lagan  Presby- 
tery in  1681,  and  on  this  call  of  Colonel  Stevens  he 
was  ordained  by  the  same  Presbytery. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

1685-1690. 

James  II.  succeeded  his  brother  as  Kinsc  of  Engf- 
land,  in  February,  1685,  and  his  first  acts  in  reference 
to  Ireland  were  designed  to  fill  all  public  places  of 
importance  with  Eoman  Catholics,  in  open  violation 
of  the  law,  and  for  the  express  purpose,  as  he  after- 
wards assured  the  Pope,  of  restoring  the  Catholic 
faith,  not  only  in  the  three  kingdoms,  but  throughout 
the  dispersed  colonies  of  his  subjects  in  America. 

His  -arbitrarj^  measures  were  at  first  carried  out  by 
his  brother-in-law,  Lord  Clarendon,  the  new  viceroy 
of  Ireland,  who  was  sworn  into  office  on  the  9th  of 
January,  1686 ;  but  he  was  soon  replaced,  however, 
by  Lord  Tyrconnel,  a  fanatical  Papist,  who  was  sworn 
into  office  on  the  12th  of  February,  1687,  who  fol- 
lowed out  the  same  reckless  career  of  his  predecessor 
in  his  attempts  to  establish  the  Catholic  ascendency, 
his  ulterior  purpose  being  to  separate  Ireland  from  the 
English  crown,  if  James  should  die  without  male  issue, 
and  place  it,  as  an  independent  nation,  under  French 
protection.  In  this  treasonable  scheme  he  was  sup- 
ported by  Louis  XIV.,  with  whom  he  kept  up  secret 
correspondence. 

Having  already  succeeded  in  placing  the  army  in 
the  hands  of  the  Romanists,  his  next  step  was  to  secure 
the  civil  control^  which  he  accomplished  by  filling  all 


1688.]  THE  DECLARATION.  231 

the  important  offices  witli  Roman  Catliolics,  and  indu- 
cinsf  the  towns  to  surrender  their  charters,  which  were 
replaced  by  new  corporations,  composed  almost  wholly 
of  Romanists.  In  ecclesiastical  affairs  the  same  course 
was  pursued.  Pensions  were  granted  to  the  Popish 
prelates,  the  legal  incumbents  in  the  parishes  thrown 
aside  and  their  tithes  appropriated  to  the  Romish  cler- 
gy ;  dispensations  were  granted  to  those  who  renounced 
the  established  religion,  and  they  were  allowed  to  con- 
tinue in  possession  of  their  benefices.  In  order  to 
facilitate  the  execution  of  his  projects  James  published 
his  famous  Declaration  for  liberty  of  conscience, 
suspending  by  virtue  of  his  royal  prerogative  the 
execution  of  all  the  penal  laws  for  religious  offences, 
and  prohibiting  the  imposition  of  religious  tests  as 
qualifications  for  offices.  This  Declaration  extended 
to  Ireland  and  afforded  great  relief  to  the  Presbyte- 
rians, who,  though  fully  aware  of  its  insidious  designs, 
did  not  hesitate  to  avail  themselves  of  the  liberty  thus 
granted  to  resume  the  exercise  of  their  rights,  so  long 
unjustly  withheld.  Their  places  of  worship  were 
again  opened;  Presbyteries  held  their  stated  meet- 
ings publicly,  and  all  ecclesiastical  functions  were  ex- 
ercised without  fear. 

The  Presbyterians  in  Ulster,  although  relieved  by 
the  Declaration  from  the  violence  of  the  High  Church 
party,  were  yet  greatly  alarmed  by  the  signs  of  the 
times.  During  the  whole  of  the  year  1688  every 
possible  means  was  unscrupulously  used  to  lay  popular 
rights  prostrate  at  the  feet  of  a  despotic  and  bigoted 
monarch.  Forgetting,  therefore,  all  their  former  per- 
secutions in  this  hour  of  peril,  they  joined  with  the 
Episcopalians  in  opposing  the  advance  of  Romanism 


232  PUBLIC  ALARM.  [Ch.  XVIIL 

in  every  way  in  their  jDOwer,  althougli  an  attempt  at 
open  resistance  was  impossible  on  account  of  the  pres- 
ence of  a  formidable  army,  composed  almost  exclu- 
sivel}^  of  Eoman  Catholics.  They  could  do  little 
therefore  but  patiently  observe  the  progress  of  events. 
This  state  of  suspense  was  relieved  by  the  news  of  the 
landing  of  the  Prince  of  Orange  in  England  on  the 
4th  of  November,  and  the  subsequent  removal  of  the 
troops  from  Ulster  to  oppose  his  progress.  The  Pres- 
byterians were  the  first  to  welcome  and  congratulate 
the  Prince,  sending  Doctor  Duncan  Cumyng,  a  physi- 
cian of  Dublin,  to  London  for  this  jDurpose. 

In  the  meantime  the  Earl  of  Mount  Alexander  and 
other  prominent  Protestants  received  anonymous  let- 
ters, stating  that  at  an  early  day  the  Irish  intended  to 
rise  in  arms  and  murder  the  Protestants.  These  reports 
created  a  great  and  popular  excitement  throughout 
Ireland;  and  on  the  7th  of  December,  1688,  the  inhab- 
itants of  Derrj^,  acting  on  the  advice  of  James  Gordon, 
minister  of  Glendermot,  and  in  opposition  to  that  of 
Bishop  Ezekiel  Hopkins  and  most  of  the  prelatic 
clergy,  seized  the  keys  of  the  city  and  shut  the  gates 
against  the  Earl  of  Antrim's  Eed  Shanks — a  Eoman 
Catholic  regiment,  sent  to  take  the  place  of  the  garri- 
son recently  removed.  This  brave  deed,  done  by  a 
few  young  men  on  the  impulse  of  the  moment,  and  in 
opposition  to  grave  advice,  not  only  saved  the  city, 
but  provided  a  place  of  refuge  to  which  in  a  few 
months  afterwards  the  Protestants  of  Ulster  were  glad 
to  fly,  and  was  the  first  blow  struck  in  Ireland  against 
King  James.  Enniskillen  behaved  with  a  heroism 
equally  noble.  Though  deserted  by  their  magistrates 
they  resolved  to  shut  their  gates  against  the  Eomish 


1689.]  PROTESTANT  ASSOCIATIONS.  233 

troops  sent  by  Tyrconnel  to  occupy  their  garrison,  and 
in  this  they  were  encouraged  by  .Kobert  Kelso,  the 
Presbyterian  minister,  who  took  every  opportunity  to 
animate  his  hearers  to  take  up  arms  in  their  defence. 

The  Protestants  in  Ulster,  although  relieved  from 
their  fears  of  a  general  massacre^  determined  to  con- 
tinue their  measures  of  defence,  especially  as  the  half- 
disciplined  recruits  of  Tyrconnel's  army  were  going 
through  the  country  plundering  the  Protestants  of 
arms  and  horses,  for  which  outrages  they  could  obtain 
no  redress.  They  therefore  formed  themselves  into 
Protestant  associations  in  every  county,  who  appointed 
councils  of  war  and  a  commander-in-chief  for  each 
county,  and  a  general  council  of  union  for  the  whole. 
Through  these  associations  the  whole  Protestant  pop- 
ulation was  soon  armed  and  organized  into  regiments, 
with  able  officers  commanding.  The  general  council, 
early  in  January,  1689,  dispatched  Captain  Baldwin 
Leighton  with  an  address  to  the  Prince  of  Orange, 
relating  their  grievances  and  the  measures  they  had 
ado]Dted  for  their  defence,  and  assuring  him  of  their 
ardent  attachment  to  the  cause  of  constitutional  free- 
dom. And  on  the  22 d  of  January  the  Presbyterian 
general  committee  or  synod  sent  the  Eeverend  Patrick 
Adair  of  Belfast,  and  the  Eeverend  John  Abernethy 
of  Money  more,  on  the  same  mission. 

The  Protestant  associations  had  as  yet  gained  pos- 
session of  but  three  towns,  Enniskillen,  Derry  and 
Colerain ;  Newry,  Charlemont  and  Armagh  being  in 
the  possession  of  Tyrconnel's  forces,  and  Belfast  and 
Lisburn  held  by  Sir  Thomas  Newcomen's  regiment, 
composed  of  Romanists  and  Protestants,  and  Carrick- 
fergus  by  a  regiment  of  new  levies  under  Magennis 


234  WAR  BEGUN.  [Cn.  XVIII. 

Iveagh.  The  first  movements  of  tine  Protestants  were 
against  Carrickfergus,  but  through  the  vigilance  of 
Sir  Thomas  ISTewcomen  and  others  the  plan  was  de- 
feated. On  the  21st  of  February  it  was  determined  to 
make  another  attempt,  and  a  thousand  men,  under  the 
command  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Bremichan  and  Ma- 
jor Baker,  afterward  governor  of  Derrj,  were  dis- 
patched with  the  view  of  surprising  the  town,  but  on 
their  arrival  they  found  that  the  garrison  was  in  such 
a  posture  of  defense  as  to  render  the  attempt  hopeless. 
Lord  Mount  Alexander  and  Sir  Arthur  Eawdon,  with 
several  troops  of  horse,  having  joined  the  infantry  be- 
fore the  town,  held  a  parley,  in  which  both  parties 
agreed  upon  certain  stipulations  for  the  removal  of 
their  mutual  jealousies,  and  resolved  to  transmit  to 
Tyrconnel  an  account  of  their  agreement.  They  sent 
as  their  messenger  a  friar  named  O'Haggerty,  who  for 
the  first  time  informed  Tyrconnel  of  the  real  condition 
of  the  Protestants  in  Ulster,  and  he  determined  to  im- 
mediately dispatch  to  Ulster  the  flower  of  his  army,  to 
disperse  the  associations  and  reduce  them  to  subjection. 
But  as  a  previous  measure  he  issued  a  proclamation 
on  the  7th  of  March,  offering  a  free  pardon  to  all  who 
would  lay  down  their  arms,  and  threatening  those  who 
refused  with  the  penalties  of  high  treason  ;  and  at  the 
same  time  he  intimated  privately  the  probabilities  of 
another  massacre  from  the  ungovernable  Irish  Koman- 
ists. 

The  notice  of  Tyrconnel's  purpose  was  conveyed  to 
Ulster  by  Pev.  Alexander  Osborn,  a  Presbj^terian  min- 
ister of  Dublin,  who,  at  a  meetin^r  of  the  eeneral  council, 

/  7  CD  t^y  7 

urged  them  to  reject  the  proposals  of  the  Deputy.    They 
were  the  more  encouraged  to  listen  to  this  advice,  by 


1689.]  BREAK  OF  DROMORE.  235 

a  letter  which  had  been  received  a  few  days  before  from 
the  Prince  of  Oraoge,  dated  February  7th,  approving 
of  their  conduct,  and  promising  them  speedy  and  ef- 
fectual support.  Accordingly  they  proclaimed  King 
William  and  Queen  Mary  in  all  the  towns  subject  to 
their  authority. 

During  this  meeting  of  the  general  council,  or  consult, 
as  it  was  sometimes  called,  nine  Presbyterian  ministers 
presented  themselves,  and  offered  to  go  to  their  several 
parishes  and  request  all  the  men  between  the  ages  of 
sixteen  and  sixty  to  rendezvouz  at  certain  places,  with 
such  arms  as  they  could  procure,  and  three  days'  pro- 
vision ;  but  their  plans  were  frustrated  by  the  approach 
of  the  army  from  Dublin.  The  Protestant  inhabitants 
in  alarm  deserted  their  towns  and  fled,  some  to  Bel- 
fast, and  others  to  the  coast,  hoping  to  escape  into 
Scotland  or  England.  On  the  very  day  of  the  visit  of 
the  nine  ministers  to  the  consult,  the  main  army  ap- 
proached Dromore,  driving  in  the  outposts  of  Major 
Baker,  and  killing  many  inhabitants  who  were  endeav- 
oring to  carry  away  their  property ;  and  although  Lord 
Mount  Alexander  and  others  marched  to  their  support 
from  Hillsborough,  they  were  unable  to  rally  their  un- 
disciplined levies,  and  a  general  and  confused  flight  en- 
sued, which  is  known  as  the  ^' break  of  Dromore." 
The  castle  and  its  stores,  and  the  papers  of  the  general 
council  of  Ulster,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  victors. 
This  victory  left  defenceless  the  whole  of  the  north- 
east of  Ulster;  and  so  discouraged  the  Protestant  lead- 
ers that  many  of  them  abandoned  the  country,  and 
some  accepted  protection  from  the  Irish  generals. 

While  this  division  of  James'  army  was  engaged  at 
Dromore,  another  part  proceeded  from  Ardeo  towards 


236  ASSAULT   UPON   COLERAINE.  [Ch.  XYIII 

Monaghan,  wTiere  they  met  with  some  resistance  from 
the  forces  under  Lord  Blanej  ;  but  hearing  of  the  de- 
feat at  Dromore,  he  abandoned  Dungannon  and  Ar- 
magh and  retreated  towards  Coleraine,  which  he 
reached  on  the  16th  of  March,  having  defeated  on 
the  way  a  detachment  of  the  enemy  from  the  gar- 
risons of  Charlemont  and  Mountjoy. 

Coleraine  was  now  occupied  by  a  body  of  troops 
poorly  supplied  with  ammunition,  and  imperfectly  for- 
tified. On  the  27th  of  March  the  main  body  of  the 
enemy,  under  General  Hamilton,  appeared  before  the 
town,  and  supported  by  artillery  he  commenced  the 
assault  ;  but  being  gallantly  defended,  he  was  forced 
to  withdraw  to  Ballymoney.  In  the  meantime  the 
garrison  formed  a  line  of  communication  and  defense 
along  the  whole  course  of  the  river  Bann,  thus  pre- 
venting a  junction  between  General  Hamilton  and  the 
forces  of  Lord  Glamoy,  who  was  marching  from  An- 
trim. During  the  first  week  in  April  no, collision  oc- 
curred between  the  parties  ;  but  on  the  7th,  a  strong 
body  of  the  enemy,  having  obtained  boats,  crossed  the 
Bann,  and  attacked  Colonel  Edmonstone,  who  was 
guarding  the  trenches,  and  not  expecting  an  attack 
from  this  quarter.  After  a  gallant  defense,  the  enemy 
receiving  large  reinforcements,  it  was  determined  to 
abandon  the  town.  A  retreat  was  effected  over  the 
mountains  towards  Derry,  and  Hamilton  took  posses- 
sion of  the  place. 

The  Protestants  in  Ulster  were  now  deprived  of  all 
their  strongholds  except  the  fortified  city  of  Derry, 
against  which  the  forces  of  the  enemy  were  soon  to  be 
concentrated.  King  James,  who  had  reached  Dublin 
towards  the  close  of  March,  set  out  for  Ulster  on  the 


i689.]  SIEGE   OF  DERRY.  237 

Sth  of  April,  with  twelve  thousand  men  and  a  train  of 
artillery.  On  the  14th  he  reached  Oraagh,  and  sent  for- 
ward his  forces  to  seize  the  passage  of  the  river  Finn 
above  Strabane  ;  and  the  Protestant  forces  wbo  held 
this  important  pass  being  unsupported,  were  compelled 
to  give  way.  On  the  18th  James  advanced  with  the 
main  body,  and  blockaded  the  city  of  Derry.  Lundy, 
the  Governor,  himself  a  Protestant  and  a  soldier,  se- 
cretly entered  into  treaty  to  surrender  the  city ;  but 
his  design  becoming  known  among  the  citizens  and 
soldiers,  it  awoke  such  a  storm  of  indignation  that  he 
was  compelled  to  fly  in  disguise.  Major  Baker  and 
Eev.  George  Walker  were  apjDointed  joint  governors 
in  his  room — the  one  in  the  military,  the  other  in  the 
civil  department.  The  garrison  was  found  to  consist 
of  about  three  hundred  and  fifty  officers  and  seven 
thousand  soldiers,  most  of  the  superior  officers  belong- 
ing to  the  established  Church,  but  the  vast  major- 
ity of  the  inferior  officers  and  soldiers  being  Presby- 
terians. There  were  also  in  the  city  eight  Presbyterian 
and  seventeen  Episcopal  ministers,  most  of  the  latter 
being  curates.  It  was  no  time  now  to  revive  party 
feuds  ;  and  as  the  prelates,  at  the  sight  of  danger,  had 
fled  once  more,  the  Presbyterians,  who  three  years  be- 
fore dare  not  worship  God  in  their  meeting  houses  for 
fear  of  them,  were  now,  when  their  help  was  required, 
generously  allowed  the  use  of  the  cathedral  for  their 
religious  service  every  Sabbath  afternoon.  Duriug  the 
remainder  of  the  month  of  April  little  occurred,  with 
the  exception  of  two  successful  sallies  under  Colonel 
Adam  Murray  a  noted  Presbyterian ;  and  on  the  other 
hand  the  surrender  of  the  fort  of  Culmore  to  General 


238  SUCCESSES  OF   CAPTAIN   HUNTER.         [Ch.  XYIII 

Hamilton  which  cut  off  all  communication  with  the  city 
by  water. 

While  these  events  were  occurring  at  Derry,  the 
Protestants  of  Down  were  not  idle.  Captain  Henry 
Hunter,  at  the  head  of  the  Protestants  who  had  arms, 
in  several  engagements  defeated  the  regiment  of  Col- 
onel Magennis,  seized  and  garrisoned  the  castle  of 
Killileagh,  and  took  possession  of  Dowupatrick,  lib- 
erating all  persons  conjfined  for  political  offences. 
These  unexpected  successes  for  a  time  relieved  the 
people  of  Down  and  encouraged  the  garrison  of  Derry. 
But  their  triumph  was  of  short  duration;  for  King 
James  hearing  of  the  successes  of  the  Protestants  in 
Down,  dis|)atched  Major  Greneral  Buchan  with  a  suf- 
ficient force  to  reduce  them  to  subjection.  On  the  18th 
of  April  the_y  met  Hunter,  who  had  taken  up  his  posi- 
tion between  Comber  and  Killileagh,  and  engaged 
him.  In  this  ''  break  of  Killileagh,"  as  it  was  called, 
three  hundred  were  slain,  and  Hunter  himself  was 
taken  prisoner,  but  afterwards  escaping,  he  fled  to  the 
coast,  and  finally  reached  the  Isle  of  Man. 

During  these  troubles  public  worship  was  almost 
entirely  suspended  throughout  the  province.  The 
Presbyterian  ministers,  after  the  battle  of  Dromore, 
were  obliged  to  abandon  their  congregations,  and  many 
of  them  fled  to  Scotland.  From  the  multitudes  com- 
ing into  that  kingdom  the  General  Assembly,  in  order 
to  protect  themselves  from  unworthy  persons,  applied 
for  a  list  of  all  the  ministers  and  probationers  belonging 
to  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Ireland;  and  all  \^^ho 
were  upon  this  list  were  received  as  "  friends  and 
brethren,"  and  entitled,  with  their  own  ministers,  to 
settlements  in  their  j3arishes.     From  this  list,  which  is 


1689.]  AEEIVAL  OF  THE   FLEET. 


289 


still  preserved,  it  appears  that  notwithstanding  the  per- 
secutions they  had  endured  for  thirty  years  the  num- 
'  ,er  of  congregations  had  increased  to  a  hundred  ;  and 
that  there  were  eighty  ministers  under  the  care  of  five 
Presbyteries,  and  eleven  probationers  ready  for  settle- 
ment. Nearly  fifty  minsters  had  taken  refuge  in  Scot- 
land, and  w^ere  now  awaiting  the  issue  of  the  moment- 
ous struggle  under  the  walls  of  Derry. 

During  the  month  of  May  no  event  of  importance 
occurred  in  the  progress  of  the  siege,  but  about  the 
middle  of  June  Major  General  Kirk,  with  three  ships 
of  war  and  three  regiments  of  foot,   reached  Lough 
Foyle,  but  were  deterred  from  going  up  to  the  city  by 
an  exaggerated  report  of  the  strength  of  the  enemy's 
works,  and  of  obstructions  in  the  channel,  caused  by  a 
boom  thrown  across  the  river,  although  this  was  not 
completed  for  some  days  later.   In  the  meantime  James 
had  sent  large  reinforcements  forward  with  orders  to 
carry  on  the  siege  with  vigor,  and  he  himself  reached 
the  camp  on  the  18th.     The  city  now  began  to  suffer 
from  scarcity  of  provisions,  and  was  harrassed  by  fre- 
quent bombardments.     The  most  inhuman  barbarities 
were  practiced  by  De  Koseu,  the  King's  commander, 
to  hasten  the  surrender  of  the  town.     All  the  Protes- 
tant women  and  children  included  within   ten  miles 
were  gathered  together  under  the  walls,  without  food, 
shelter  or  protection,  until  the  terms  of  capitulation 
which  had  been  dictated  should  be  accepted. 

During  all  these  sufferings  Kirk  with  his  squadron 
lay  inactive  at  the  anchorage.  He  did,  indeed,  on  the 
10th,  land  a  detachment  on  the  Island  of  Inch  to  pro- 
tect the  surrounding  county,  and  had  thrown  up  some 
temporary  works  on  the  strand.     On  these  he  planted 


240  ADVANCE   OF   THE   FLEET.  [Ch.  XVIII. 

sixteen  cannon  wliile  two  iive-gun  vessels  lay  in  tlie 
stream.  On  the  20tli  of  July  Kirk  brought  up  the  re- 
mainder of  his  fleet,  but  news  received  from  Derry  soon 
after  caused  him  to  fall  back  again  to  Lough  Foyle. 
On  the  22d  he  ordered  the  vessels,  the  Mountjoy  of 
Derry,  the  Phoenix  of  Coleraine,  and  the  Jerusalem,  to 
take  their  station  off  Culmore,  out  of  range  of  the  batte- 
ries. And  three  days  after,  on  board  of  the  Swallow,  ac- 
companied by  the  Dartmouth  frigate,  he  prepared  to  at- 
tempt the  passage  of  the  river.  For  several  days  they 
remained  in  this  position  on  account  of  unfavorable 
winds. 

In  the  meantime  the  garrison  was  reduced  to  the 
last  extremity.  Every  thing  in  the  shape  of  food, 
even  the  most  nauseous  substances,  had  been  consumed. 
Their  numbers  were  rapidly  diminishing,  more  than, 
one  fourth  being  unserviceable  by  famine  and  fatigue ; 
and  what  added  to  their  fearful  sufferings  was  a  sight 
of  the  long  expected  fleet  lying  motionless  before  the 
to  WD.  At  length,  about  six  o'clock  on  Sunday  the 
28th  of  Jul}^,  a  light  wind  sprang  up  from  the 
northwest  and  immediately  the  Dartmouth  weighed 
anchor  and  stood  in  towards  Culmore.  The  fort 
opened  a  brisk  cannonade,  which  was  not  answered  by 
the  frigate,  Captain  Leak  placing  himself  within  mus- 
ket shot  of  the  fort,  thus  allomng  the  other  vessels  to 
pass  under  shelter  of  his  guns.  At  this  critical  mo- 
ment, although  the  wind  was  failing,  the  Mountjoy 
passed  the  fort  amidst  a  heavy  fire,  accompanied  by  the 
longboat  of  the  Swallow,  and  ran  her  bows  against  the 
boom  which  obstructed  the  river,  when  she  grounded, 
and  her  gallant  commander  was  at  the  same  moment 
killed  by  a  musket  shot.     Favored,  however,  by  the 


1689.]  RELIEF   OF   THE   CITY.  241 

rising  tide,  and  rebounding  from  a  broadside  wbicTi 
she  discharged  for  the  purpose,  she  again  floated,  and 
the  boatswain's  mate  of  the  Swallow's  boat,  having  cut 
the  boom,  broke  through  the  barrier,  followed  bj  the 
Mountjoj,  reaching  tlie  quay,  about  ten  o'clock  in  the 
evening,  to  the  inexpressible  joj  of  the  famished  gar- 
rison, who  had  watched  with  intense  interest  the  whole 
action.  Two  days  after  the  Irish  army  abandoned 
their  trenches,  having  lost  a  hundred  officers  and  be- 
tween eight  and  nine  thousand  men ;  and  on  the  last 
day  of  July  this  memorable  siege  terminated,  having 
continued  for  one  hundred  and  five  days. 

Two  days  after,  on  the  13th  of  August,  the  Duke 
of  Schomberg  landed  in  Ireland  with  ten  thousand 
men,  and  took  possession  of  Belfast  and  Carrickfer- 
gus,  and  restored  tranquility  to  Ulster.  In  conse- 
quence of  these  events,  the  exiled  ministers  returned 
and  resumed  both  their  worship  and  their  Presbyterial 
meetings,  and  soon  after  they  presented  a  petition  to 
King  William,  setting  forth  their  early  movements  in 
his  favor,  and  imploring  his  protection,  with  particu- 
lar respect  to  liberty  of  conscience.  Besides  a  gracious 
answer  through  the  Duke  of  Shrewsbury,  the  King 
wrote  to  Schomberg,  recommending  them  to  his  pro- 
tection ;  and  as  soon  as  he  arrived  in  Ulster,  a  few 
months  later,  entered  on  that  course  of  liberal  protec- 
tion to  which  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Ireland  owes 
so  much  of  its  subsequent  prosperity. 

11 


CHAPTER      XIX. 

1690-1701. 

Though  the  Protestants  of  Ulster  were  freed  from 
all  immedinte  danger  by  the  presence  of  Schomberg 
and  his  army,  they  were  not  satisfied  with  his  pro- 
ceedings, and  were  very  uneasy  as  to  the  result,  until 
it  was  announced  that  King  William  had  determined 
to  conduct  the  war  in  person.  Schomberg,  in  the 
meantime,  used  great  diligence  in  improving  the  dis- 
cipline of  the  army,  and  providing  provisions  and 
arms.  About  the  middle  of  March,  after  encounter- 
ing many  difficulties,  caused  by  inefficient  agents  and 
unworthy  officers,  he  prepared  to  advance  upon  Charle- 
mont,  and  on  the  20th  of  May  that  stronghold  sur- 
rendered. This  intelligence  reaching  London,  the 
King  hastened  the  Parliament  in  its  business,  and  de- 
parted for  Ireland,  where  be  arrived  on  the  14th  of 
June,  1690,  and  proceeded  directly  to  Belfast.  He 
was  welcomed  everywhere  with  expressions  of  great 
joy  by  the  Protestant  population.  The  Presbyterians 
were  received  by  him  most  graciously,  and  an  order 
issued  to  the  collector  of  the  customs  at  Belfast  for  the 
regular  payment  of  twelve  hundred  pounds  per  an- 
num to  the  Presbyterian  ministers  of  Ulster,  the  be- 
ginning of  the  Eojal  Bounty,  or  Kegium  Donum, 
which  they  still  enjoy. 

King  William,  as  he  himself  said,  was  determined, 


J  690.]  BATTLE   OF   THE   BOYNE.  243 

now  that  he  had  come  to  Ireland,  not  to  let  the  grass 
grow  under  his  feet ;  accordingly  he  took  the  field  at 
once,  and  at  the  head  of  an  army  numbering  thirty- 
six  thousand,  one  half  of  whom  at  least  were  foreign 
refugees,  he  advanced  on  the  last  da}^  of  June  to  the 
banks  of  the  Boyne  ;  while  James^  with  his  forces,  to 
the  number  of  thirty  thousand,  lay  encamped  on  the 
opposite  side,  prepared  to  dispute  the  passage.  The 
great  battle  that  settled  the  quarrel  between  the  two 
Kings,  and  decided  the  destiny  of  Great  Britain,  was 
fought  the  next  morning.  The  Irish  were  defeated, 
with  the  loss  of  fifteen  hundred  men,  while  the  Pro- 
testant loss  was  about  five  hundred,  among  whom  were 
Schomberg,  said  to  be  the  greatest  captain  of  the  age, 
and  Governor  Walker,  who  had  been  appointed  Bishop 
of  Derrj  only  the  day  before.  James  hurried  from 
the  kinoQom,  never  to  set  foot  in  it  ao;ain,  and  Wil- 
liam  passed  on  to  Dublin,  to  receive  congratulations 
on  his  victory.  Among  others,  the  prelatic  clergy  of 
the  metropolis  presented  an  address,  ex|)ressive  of  their 
loyalty  to  him  and  his  government.  A  short  time 
previousl}',  these  men  had  jDresented  an  address  to 
King  James,  conveying  similar  sentiments ;  but  mat- 
ters had  now  altered,  and  perhaps  it  was  the  more 
prudent  plan  to  provide  for  their  safety  at  all  hazards. 
Bishop  Leslie  himself  describes  many  of  that  party  as 
swearing  backwards  and  forwards  four  times  in  a 
single  year. 

The  Presbyterians  at  this  time  constituted  by  far 
the  larger  portion  of  the  Protestant  population  of  Ul- 
ster. Bishop  Leslie,  writing  in  the  3^ear  1692,  thus 
estimates  the  relative  numbers  of  the  two  churches : — 
"  The  Non-Conformists  are  much  the  most  numerous 


244  SYNODS  OF  1690  and  1691.  [Ch.  xix, 

portion  of  the  Protestants  in  Ulster.  Some  parishes 
have  not  ten,  some  not  six,  that  come  to  church,  while 
the  Presbyterian  meetings  are  crowded  with  thousands, 
covering  all  the  fields.  This  is  ordinary,  in  the  county 
of  Antrim  especially,  which  is  the  most  populous  of 
Scots  of  any  in  Ulster  (who  are  generally  Presbyte- 
rians in  that  county.)  In  other  of  the  northern  coun- 
ties the  Episcopal  Protestants  bear  a  greater  proportion, 
some  more,  some  less.  But  upon  the  whole,  as  I  have 
it  from  those  that  live  upon  the  place,  they  are  not 
one  to  fifty,  nor  so  much,  but  they  would  speak 
within  compass." 

The  first  meeting  of  the  Synod  (since  the  general 
meeting  at  Ballymena,  in  1661,)  was  held  in  Belfast, 
on  the  26th  of  September,  1690,  but  the  minutes  of 
this  session  are  unfortunately  lost.  From  other  sources 
we  learn  that  it  was  chiefly  occupied  in  deciding  cases 
where  more  than  one  application  was  made  for  the 
same  minister ;  in  appointing  collections  for  charities  ; 
in  encouraging  young  men  to  enter  the  ministry ;  in 
the  exercise  of  discipline ;  and  in  urging  the  exiled 
ministers  to  return  from  Scotland,  nearly  fifty  of  whom 
were  believed  to  be  in  that  kingdom  in  the  spring  of 
1689.  The  next  meeting  of  the  Synod  was  held  at 
Antrim,  on  the  30th  of  September,  1691.  On  that 
occasion  Rev.  Thomas  Hall,  of  Larne,  preached  from 
Song  of  Solomon,  viii.,  12,  and  Jolm  Abernethy,  of 
Moneymore,  was  appointed  moderator.  This  Synod 
was  principally  occupied  in  considering  the  great  sub- 
ject of  ministerial  education,  for  which  the  Presby- 
terian church  has  always  been  distinguished,  even  in 
the  worst  of  times,  and  it  was  unanimously^  "  agreed 
and  concluded  that  none  enter  into  the  ministrv  with- 


1692. J  MEETING  OF  IRISH   PARLIAMENT.  245 

out  laurcation  ;"  tliat  is,  without  having  gone  through 
a  regular  course  of  education,  and  taken  the  degree  of 
Master  of  Arts,  in  one  of  the  Scottish  universities. 

After  the  publication  of  James'  Declaration  for  lib- 
erty of  conscience  in  1687,  the  Presbj'terians  suffered 
but  little  molestation  either  from  Church  or  State, 
though  the  laws  prohibiting  their  worship  and  the 
meetings  of  Presbj^teries  a'nd  Sjnods  were  still  in  force ; 
but  after  t'.ie  siege  of  Derry  the  spirit  of  intolerance 
began  to  show  itself  in  various  places.  But  an  impor- 
tant chaDge  in  their  position  was  now  effected  by  an 
act  of  the  English  Parliament,  passed  at  the  close  of 
the  year  1691,  abolishing  the  oath  of  supremac}^  in 
Ireland,  and  substituting  in  its  place  the  oath  of  Fidel- 
ity and  Allegiance,  which  had  been  in  force  in  Eng- 
land since  the  year  1688.  This  act  having  no  declar- 
ation or-  engagement  oppressive  to  the  consciences  of 
the  Non-Conformists,  and  no  sacramental  tests  attached, 
(as  w^as  the  case  in  England  since  the  year  1678,)  the 
Irish  Presbyterians  became  eligible  to  all  civil,  mili- 
tary^ and  municipal  offices  throughout  the  kingdom. 

On  the  6th  of  October,  1692,  after  an  interval  of 
twenty-six  years,  the  Irish  Parliament  again  com- 
menced its  sittings.  Lord  Sydney  being  Lord  Lieuten- 
ant, at  which  a  bill  for  toleration  for  Ireland  was  dis- 
cussed, but  nothing  came  of  it,  as  the  Parliament  was 
soon  after  suddenly  dissolved.  But  the  want  of  this 
act  of  toleration  was  not  practically  felt  by  the  Pres- 
byterians. They  enjoyed  all  their  religious  rights,  and 
the  avenues  to  office  being  thrown  open  to  them  they 
rose  rapidly  to  influence  and  power,  especially  in  the 
large  towns.  Their  intercourse  with  the  Episcopalians 
was  amicable,  and  although  some  of  the  Bishops  were 


246  DR.   WILLIAM   KING.  [Ch.  XIX. 

jealous  of  tlieir  growing  influence,  yet  in  most  in- 
stances tlie  ministers  united  in  repairing  the  disas- 
trous results  of  the  war. 

This  mutual  amity  was  first  violated  by  the  new 
Bishop  of  Derry,  Dr.  William  King,  who  engaged  in 
a  controversy  with  the  Presbyterians  of  his  diocese  by 
printing  a    "Discourse   on  the   Inventions  of  Man  in 
the  Worship  of  God,"  in  which  he  turned  the  tables 
on  the  previous  opponents  of  Episcopacy  by  main- 
taining that  the  Presbyterian   worship  was    unlawful 
and  unscriptural,  and    alleged  that   the  Presbyterian 
people  in  general  were  very  inadequately  instructed 
by  their  ministers  in  the  principles  of  religion ;  that 
the  Scriptures  were  scarcely  ever  read  in  their  religious 
assemblies :  that  few  of  them  attended  public  worship ; 
that  the  congregations  generally  sat  at  public  prayer  : 
and  that  the  Lord's  Supper  was  culpably  undervalued 
and  neglected,   being   celebrated  only  at  very  distant 
intervals.    These  exas^arerated  and  erroneous  statements 
called  forth  two  anta2:onists — one,  the  Keverend  Rob- 
art  Craghead  of  Derry,  the  other  a  still  more  able  and 
accomplished  polemic,  the  Reverend  Joseph  Boyse  of 
Dublin.     Bishop  King    replied  to    Mr.  Boyse   in  an 
"Admonition"  in  May,  1694,  and  in  the  beginning 
of  the  year  1695  Mr.  Boyse  rejoined,  which  was  fol- 
lowed in   about  a  j^ear  by  a  second  admonition  from 
the  Bishop,   which   was   answered  by  Mr.  Craghead. 
The  controversy  before  its  conclusion  had  called  forth 
nine  different  publications,  and  had  extended  over  a 
period  of  as  many  years. 

While  Bishop  King  was  thus  censuring  the  alleged 
neglect  of  the  Presbyterian  ministers  and  affecting  to  be 
most  anxious  for  their  reformation,  he  was  employed  in 


1694.]  WILLIAM   MILNE.  247 

the  visitation  of  an  adjoining  diocese,  which  disclosed 
so  many  gross  offences  among  the  beneficed  clergy 
that  one  would  think  his  reforming  efforts  might  have 
been  exhausted  within  the  pale  of  his  own  church. 
The  diocese  of  Down  and  Connor  had  become  a  pub- 
lic scandal  to  the  Church  in  Ulster. 

The  Bishop  had  not  been  within  his  charge  for 
twenty  years,  and  his  clergy  had  become  noted  for 
their  unholy  lives.  Various  efforts  had  been  made  to 
remedy  the  evil,  but  without  success,  until  October, 
1693,  when  a  memorial  from  the  respectable  clergy 
was  presented  to  Lord  Sydney,  the  Lord  Lieutenant, 
praying  for  speedy  redress,  which  resulted  in  a  com- 
mission from  the  crown  of  three  Bishops,  one  of  whom 
was  King,  with  power  to  admonish,  suspend  and  de- 
prive all  who  were  guilty,  from  the  Bishop  down  to 
the  humblest  vicar.  This  commission  met  in  Febru- 
ary, 1694,  and  resulted  in  depriving  Bishop  Hackett 
of  his  sees,  for  simony,  non-residence,  and  gross  neg- 
lect of  his  oflQ.cial  duties,  and  sentences  of  more  or  less 
severity  were  passed  upon  several  of  his  clergy, 
among  whom  was  William  Milne,  who  was  publicly 
admonished  for  intemperance,  suspended  for  neglect 
of  his  cure,  and  deprived  for  incontinence  of  life. 
His  history  is  singular  and  instructive.  He  was  a 
Scotch  Presbyterian,  and  had  been  licensed  in  Aber- 
deen as  a  probationer.  In  the  year  1657  he  came 
over  to  Ireland,  and  was  ordained  by  the  Presbytery 
of  Antrim,  and  settled  at  Islandmagee,  near  Carrick- 
fergas,  and  in  the  following  year  received  the  prebend 
of  Kilroot.  On  the  restoration  of  prelacy  he  was  one 
of  the  very  few  ministers  who  abandoned  the  Presby- 
terian for  the   Episcopal  church.     Having  stooped  to 


248         PAETIES  AMONG   THE   PROTESTANTS.         [Ch.  XIX. 

receive  re-ordiuation  from  Bisliop  Jeremy  Taylor,  Lg 
was  inducted  into  the  rectory  of  liis  former  parish, 
Islandmagee,  in  March,  1662.  Mihie  was  succeeded 
in  his  prebend  by  the  celebrated  Dean  Swift.  Of  the 
ministers  who  conformed  at  that  trying  i^eriod,  the 
early  annalist  of  the  Presbyterian  church  had  re- 
marked that  "  they  turned  other  men  than  before," 
and  that  they  became  "  worldly  and  proud." 

These  salutary  acts  of  discipline,  though  long  de- 
layed, did  much  to  elevate  the  character  of  the  estab- 
lished church  in  Ulsterj  but  failed  in  bringing  over 
the  dissenters,  as  had  been  expected.  In  addition  to 
the  regular  Presbyterians,  David  Houston  had  re- 
turned to  Ireland,  preaching  the  Solemn  League  and 
Covenant,  accusing  other  Presbyterians  of  perjury, 
and  followed  (as  we  learn  from  two  contemporary 
Bishops)  by  ^'  a  congregation  of  five  hundred  resolute 
fellows."  The  same  prelates'  urged  the  appointment 
of  a  j)rndent  and  well-tempered  Bishop  in  the  place 
of  Hackett.  Such  was  the  character  of  Bishop  Foley, 
who  did  not  live  a  year,  however,  and  was  followed 
by  a  very  different  person. 

The  Protestants  of  Ireland  began  now  to  be  divided 
into  an  Irish  and  English  party,  the  distinctive  prin- 
ciples of  which  are  not  very  clearly  defined,  but  which 
were  eventually  identified  with  the  English  division 
of  Whigs  and  Tories.  One  thing  is  certain,  that  the 
Irish  party  was  less  favorable  than  the  English  to  the 
toleration  of  the  Presbyterians,  whose  chief  protector 
about  this  time  was  Lord  Capel,  one  of  the  Lords 
Justices,  who  differed  from  his  colleagues  as  to  the  pay- 
ment of  the  Soyal  Bounty,  which  they  were  in  favor 
of  withdrawing,  and  did  actually  for  a  time  withhold. 


1695.]  BILL  FOR  RELIEF  OF   DISSENTERS.  249 

A  new  attempt  was  now  made  to  procure  from  Par- 
liament an  act  extending  legal  protection  to  tlie  Pres- 
byterian church.  Accordingly  Lord  Capel  submitted 
to  the  Irish  privy  council  the  draft  of  an  act  "  for  the 
ease  of  Protestant  dissenters,"  similar  to  the  one  pre- 
pared for  the  Parliament  three  years  before  by  Lord 
Sydney.  This  was  opposed  by  the  prelates,  headed 
by  Sir  Eichard  Cox,  one  of  the  Justices  of  the  Court 
of  Common  Pleas,  who  expressed  a  desire  to  grant  a 
free  toleration  to  all  ;  yet,  as  there  was  no  test  in  Ire- 
land, it  was  necessary  for  the  security  of  the  Estab- 
lished Church  to  exclude  all  from  office  who  would  not 
conform,  and  moved  that  a  clause  be  added  to  the  bill 
excluding  all  Presbyterians  from  public  offices,  which 
motion  was  carried.  While  this  bill  was  under  con- 
sideration in  the  council,  the  Presbyterians  were  not 
inactive:  Letters  were  sent  to  the  different  Presbyte- 
ries urging  them  to  unite  in  an  application  to  the 
King  for  an  act  of  toleration,  and  the  Presbytery  of 
Lagan  sent  commissioners  to  the  King,  who  was  at  this 
time  conducting  the  siege  of  Namur,  in  Flanders,  ask- 
ing for  liberty  and  for  redress  of  their  particular 
grievances.  It  was  resolved  also  to  urge  the  same  in 
Parliament,  and  an  able  tract  in  favor  of  the  measure 
was  prepared  by  Mr.  Boyse,  already  mentioned,  en- 
titled "  The  case  of  the  Protestant  Dissenters  in  Ire- 
land, in  reference  to  a  Bill  of  Indulgence,  represented 
and  argued."  This  led  to  another  written  controversy, 
but  on  a  very  different  subject  from  the  first,  and  be- 
tween different  parties,  with  the  exception  of  Boyse 
himself. 

The  first  opponent  of  Boyse  was  Doctor  Tobias  Pul- 

len,  grandson  of  the  Archbishop  of  Tuam.     It   was 

11* 


250  STEUGGLE   FOR  TOLERA.TION.  [Ch.  XIX. 

published  anonymously,  and  in  it  he  admits  the  pro- 
priety of  granting  toleration  to  the  Presbyterian 
Churchj  but  only  as  a  favor  which  the  Episcopalians 
were  willing  to  grant,  *'  as  parents  humor  their  children 
in  giving  them  things  that  are  pleasing  to  their  palates, 
though  prejudicial  to  their  health."  This  was  followed 
by  another  pamphlet  by  Doctor  Anthony  Dojoping, 
Bishop  of  Meath,  in  which  he  concedes  the  propriety 
of  granting  the  toleration  asked  for,  but  on  condition 
that  it  be  accompanied  with  a  sacramental  test.  These 
pamphlets  appearing  nearly  at  the  same  time  clearly 
indicated  the  formation  of  a  party  opposed  to  the  lib- 
eral intentions  of  the  King  and  his  ministers  towards 
the  Presbyterians ;  and  in  order  to  answer  the  objec- 
tions raised  Mr.  Boyse  published  another  pamphlet, 
in  the  first  part  of  which  he  most  ably  refuted  the 
arguments  of  Bishop  Pullen,  and  in  the  latter  part,  in 
answer  to  Bishop  Dopping,  placed  the  claims  of  the 
Irish  Presbyterians  to  obtain  a  toleration  act  free  from 
the  sacramental  test,  in  the  clearest  light. 

In  the  midst  of  this  controversy  the  Irish  Parlia- 
ment was  opened  by  Lord  Capel  on  the  27th  of  Au- 
gust, 1695,  and  on  the  2ith  of  September  the  Earl  of 
Drogheda  obtained  leave  from  the  House  of  Lords  to 
bring  in  ''  Heads  of  a  bill  for  ease  to  dissenters."  The 
opponents  of  the  measure  were  in  full  force,  out  of 
forty-three  Peers,  twentj^-one  of  them  were  Bishops, 
including  King,  Pullen  and  Dopping,  and  the  motion 
was  postponed  for  one  week.  At  the  same  time  in  the 
Commons  a  committee  recommended  the  passage  of 
the  English  Act  of  Toleration  as  a  law  for  Ireland, 
with  such  alterations  as  might  be  necessary  to  adopt  it 
to  the  state  of  the  kingdom.     This  act  imposing  no 


1696.]  T.ORD   GAL  WAY.  251 

civil  disabilities  on  dissenters  was  tlierefore  very  simi- 
lar to  the  proposition  before  the  House  of  Lords,  and 
after  a  debate  it  was  postponed  and  neither  were  taken 
up  again  during  the  session.  The  anomalous  result 
was,  that  the  English  dissenters  enjoyed  full  liberty 
of  worship  under  the  Act  of  Toleration,  but  were  ex- 
cluded from  public  office  by  the  Test  Act ;  while  the 
Irish  could  hold  office,  but  were  not  allowed  by  law 
to  celebrate  their  worship. 

Lord  Capel  having  died  in  May,  1696,  the  govern- 
ment devolved  upon  Sir  Charles  Porter^  the  Lord 
Chancellor,  but  he  being  an  opponent  of  the  English 
government,  in  order  to  counteract  his  influence  they 
constituted  him  one  of  the  three  Lords  Justices,  the 
Earls  of  Montrath  and  Drogheda  being  the  other  two. 
But  Porter  dying  suddenly  in  December  following, 
another  commission  was  issued  to  new  Lords  Justices, 
namely,  Lord  Yilliers,  the  Marquis  of  Winchester, 
and  Lord  Galway,  but  in  reality  the  government  was 
conducted  by  the  latter.  This  nobleman  was  a  refugee 
from  France,  of  the  illustrious  family  of  Euvigny,  and 
a  Presbyterian.  He  had  been  obliged  to  fly  to  Hol- 
land at  the  revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes,  where 
he  met  the  Prince  of  Orange,  and  coming  to  Ireland 
with  him  he  distinguished  himself  at  the  battle  of  the 
Boyne,  and  was  rewarded  with  the  post  of  Lieutenant 
General  and  afterwards  received  the  title  of  Earl  of 
Galway.  Having  such  a  friend  as  Lord  Justice,  the 
Presbyterians  were  encouraged  to  make  another  at- 
tempt to  obtain  a  Toleration  Act ;  accordingly  a  com- 
mittee of  delegates  from  all  the  Presbyteries  met  in 
Belfast  and  drew  up  an  address  to  the  King,  prajing 
for  their    "legal   liberty."     This  provoked  a  renewal 


252  FOREIGN   PROTESTANTS.  [Ch.  XIX. 

of  tlie  controversy  as  to  toleration  on  the  part  of 
Bishop  Pulleu,  and  the  Reverend  Edward  Sjnge,  who  is 
memorable  chiefly  as  the  son  and  nejDhew  of  bishops, 
the  father  of  two  others  and  himself  afterwards  an 
Archbishop.  They  were  answ^ered  not  by  Bo^/se,  but 
by  the  Reverend  Thomas  M'Bride,  a  native  of  Ireland 
and  a  successor  of  the  Reverend  Patrick  Adair  at 
Belfast.  This  answer  being  too  pointed  and  effective 
to  remain  unnoticed,  Mr.  Synge  replied,  disclaiming 
all  intolerant  designs  and  principles,  but  still  opposing 
the  emancipation  of  the  Irish  Presbyterians. 

When  the  Parliament  again  met  (July  1697)  meas- 
ures were  adopted  for  the  relief  of  foreign  Protestants, 
with  special  reference  to  the  French  Huguenots,  many 
of  whom  settled  in  Ireland  after  the  revocation  of  the 
Edict  of  Nantes.  Of  these,  some  conformed  to  the 
Church  of  England,  and  adopted  a  French  version  of 
its  liturgy  ;  others  retained  their  Presbyterian  discipline 
and  worship,  both  securing  an  allowance  from  the 
State,  which  continued  to  be  paid  as  late  as  1822,  when 
there  w^as  at  least  one  French  minister  in  Ireland,  but 
without  a  congregation.  The  favor  thus  bestowed  on 
foreign  Protestants  and  Presbyterians  seemed  to  aggra- 
vate the  hardships  of  the  natives  who  professed  the 
same  faith,  and  vv^ho  still  demanded  legal  toleration. 
The  same  Parliament  proposed  to  modify  the  Act  of 
Uniformity,  passed  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  and  still 
in  force,  by  exempting  from  its  operations  such  dissent- 
ers as  subscribed  the  declaration  substituted  at  the  Rev- 
olution for  the  Oath  of  Supremacy.  But  the  motion 
only  seemed  to  show  the  temper  of  the  House.  It  w^as 
not  renewed  ia  the  last  Parliament  of  William's  reign, 
1698,  at  the  close  of  which  the  Irish  Presbyterians  occu- 


/*■•' 


1G97.]  PRESBYTERIANS  HARASSED.  253 

pied  the  same  position  as  at  the  begining,  with  the 
single  exception  that  the  Oath  of  Supremacy  had  been 
abolished,  not  by  the  Irish  but  the  English  Parlia- 
ment. 

Dr.  Walkington,  appointed  to  succeed  Dr.  Foley  in 
the  see  of  Down  and  Connor,  was  a  learned  and  well- 
meaning  man,  but  a  bigoted  High  Churchman  and  op- 
ponent of  the  Presbyterians,  for  whose  suppression  in 
his  diocese  he  formally  petitioned.  About  the  same 
time,  a  Presbyterian  minister  settled  in  Limerick  was 
imprisoned  for  preaching  and  administering  the  sacra- 
ments in  Galway.  The  Presbyterians  were  also  har- 
assed in  relation  to  their  marriages,  which  some  of  the 
ecclesiastical  authorities  pronounced  invalid,  and  their 
children  illegitimate.  They  were  also  troubled  by  the 
imposition  of  the  burial  service  at  their  funerals,  and  of 
the  office  of  church- warden,  under  severe  penalties, 
and  by  the  prohibition  of  all  Presbyterian  schools  and 
teachers. 

But  while  they  were  becoming  politically  more  and 
more  powerless  their  numbers  and  religious  influence 
were  growing  in  the  same  proportion.  New  congre- 
gations were  continually  organized,  and  in  the  chief 
towns  of  Ulster,  such  as  Londonderry,  Coleraine,  Bel- 
fast, and  Carrickfergus,  Presbyterians  were  members 
of  the  corporation,  and  sometimes  held  the  highest  mu- 
nicipal offices.  Between  the  years  1694  and  169T  sev- 
eral of  the  leading  ministers  died  who  had  been  or- 
dained before  the  Restoration,  and  had  lived  through 
troublous  times  that  followed.  Such  were  Patrick 
Adair,  Thomas  Ilall,  Anthony  Kennedy,  Henry  Liv- 
ingston, Robert  Cunningham,  AVilliam  Crooks,  and 
Thomas  Boyd,  the  two  last  having  endured  the  horrors 


254  SUB-SYNODS  ORGANIZED.  [Ch.  XIX. 

of  tlie  siege  of  Deny.  But  their  places  were  supplied 
by  active  and  diligent  successors  ;  and  tlie  church  in- 
creased so  fast  that  in  1697  the  five  original  Presby- 
teries were  distributed  into  two  ''sub-Synods,"  which 
were  to  meet  twice  a  year,  at  Coleraine  and  Dromore, 
in  March  and  October.  At  the  same  time  the  Presby- 
tery of  Antrim  was  divided,  the  new  body  being 
called  the  Presbytery  of  Belfast.  This  arrangement  of 
six  Presb3'teries,  two  sub-Synods,  and  one  Greneral 
Synod  (that  of  Ulster),  contiuued  to  the  end  of  Wil- 
liam's reign ;  but  in  the  very  first  year  of  Queen 
Anne's  another  enlargement  was  found  necessary. 

The  Presbyterians  who  were  members  of  the  civic 
corporations  began  now  to  be  accused  of  seeking  a 
monopoly  of  power  and  influence,  by  the  appointment 
of  their  own  class  exclusively  to  public  offices — an  ac- 
cusation which,  although  apparently  without  founda- 
tion, was  afterwards  the  pretext  for  excluding  them 
entirely  from  corporations. 

At  the  opening  of  the  Synod  of  Belfast,  1698,  the 
Eev.  Mr.  McBride  preached  a  sermon,  in  which  he 
took  occasion  to  assert  the  right  of  the  Church  to  hold 
assemblies  of  her  office-bearers;  and  that  the  validity 
of  these  meetings  did  not  depend  on  the  sanction  of  the 
civil  powers.  This  sermon  was  published  witljout  his 
knowledge,  and  was  seized  upon  b\^  the  authorities  as 
a  grave  offense  against  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Estab- 
lished Church,  and  Mr.  McBride  was  summoned  be- 
fore the  Privy  Council ;  but,  on  hearing  his  explana- 
nations,  he  was  discharged,  with  no  severer  censure 
than  an  exhortation  to  keep  the  peace  and  treat  the 
authorities  with  due  respect. 

This  case  had  hardly  been  disposed  of  when   one 


1700.]  PRESBYTERIAN   MINISTERS   OPPRESSED.        255 

somewhat  similar  arose  in  a  remote  town  of  Gralway. 
It  appears  that  some  Presbyterian  families  from  Ulster 
had  recently  settled  there,  and  had  invited  the  Eev. 
William  Biggar,  of  Limerick,  to  preach  and  administer 
ordinances  among  them.  This  aroused  the  anger 
of  the  Episcopalians,  who  had  him  apprehended 
and  brought  before  the  mayor ;  but  on  the  advice 
of  the  Archbishop  of  Tuam  he  was  liberated,  and 
permitted  to  return  to  his  charge  at  Limerick.  But 
soon  after  he  was  brought  before  the  Lords  Justices^ 
and  after  being  admonished,  he  was  dismissed,  and  an 
order  given  I  hat  in  future  no  Presbyterian  minister 
should  preach  in  Galway  ;  and  application  was  made 
to  the  King  that  he  would  confirm  their  act.  But  it  is 
probable  that  the  prohibition  against  preaching  in  Gral- 
way was  removed  by  the  King  ;  for  not  more  than  two 
years  after  this  period  there  was  not  only  a  Presbyter- 
ian congregation  regularlj^  organized  there,  but  a  min- 
ister duly  ordained  to  that  charge. 

The  government  of  Ireland  being  transferred  in 
1700  from  the  three  Lords  Justices  to  a  Lord  Lieuten- 
ant, the  Earl  of  Rochester,  the  general  committee  of 
the  Synod  presented  him,  through  the  Presbyterian 
ministers  of  Dublin,  a  congratulatorj^  address,  profess- 
ing their  loyalty,  asking  for  protection,  and  expressing 
great  confidence  both  in  the  King  and  in  his  represen- 
tative ;  to  which  the  latter  gave  a  very  brief  but  favor- 
able answer. 


CH  APTE  R     XX. 

1701-1709. 

The  increasing  troubles  of  the  Presbyterians  with 
respect  to  marriages  led  tliem  to  present  a  memorial 
to  tbe  Lord  Lieutenant  (Earl  of  Rocbester)  complain- 
ing of  their  grievances,  and  asking  for  a  remedy.  The 
Lord  Lieutenant,  embarrased  with  the  difficulties  of  the 
question,  wrote  to  Loudon  for  instructions,  but  could 
get  no  satisfactory  answer,  on  account  of  the  absence 
of  the  King  in  Holland.  But  on  the  return  of  the  King 
the  subject  was  brought  under  his  notice,  who  disap- 
jDroved  of  the  proceedings  against  the  Presbyterians, 
and  expressed  a  wish  that  some  expedient  might  be 
found  for  putting  a  stop  to  these  persecutions,  without 
interfering  with  the  rights  of  the  established  Church. 
The  matter  seems  not  to  have  gone  any  further  at  this 
time,  as  the  Lord  Lieutenant  soon  after  returned  to 
England,  entrusting  the  government  to  the  same  Lords 
Justices  who  had  been  employed  before  his  arrival,  with 
the  addition  of  two  others,  who  were  sworn  into  ofuce 
at  the  end  of  the  year  ITOl.  In  the  death  of  King  Wil- 
liam, in  March,  the  cause  of  toleration  and  the  inter- 
ests of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Ireland  met  with 
a  heavy  blow. 

No  sooner  had  the  nevv'S  of  the  King's  death  reached 
Bishop  King,  of  Derry,  than  he  wrote  to  the  Bishop 
of  Clogher,  who  was  in  London,  urging  him  to  move 


l'?02.J  BISHOP   king's  INTOLERANT  SPIRIT.  257 

the  government  either  to  withdraw  the  royal  bounty 
from  the  Presbyterians,  or,  if  continued,  to  place  it  on 
such  a  footing  as  might  render  the  ministers  subser- 
vient to  the  government,  and  might  introduce  at  the 
same  time  divisions  among  them.  So  anxious  was  he 
for  the  adoption  of  this  mean  and  disgraceful  plan  for 
weakening  the  Presbyterian  cause,  that  a  few  days  af- 
terwards, in  a  letter,  he  pressed  it  on  the  notice  of  Sir 
Eobert  Southwell,  the  Secretary  for  Ireland.  This 
spirit  of  intolerance  continued  to  increase  among  the 
clergy  during  the  whole  of  Queen  Anne's  reign.  In 
the  meantime  the  prosecutions  against  their  marriages 
were  greatly  increased,  by  the  indications  of  a  design 
to  suspend  the  Eoyal  Bounty,  which  led  the  Synod 
of  this  year,  1702,  to  complain  to  the  Lords  Justices 
on  both  these  matters.  But  no  redress  could  be  ex- 
pected when  two  Bishops  were  the  advisers  of  the 
government,  one  of  whom  was  King,  of  Derry.  With 
regard  to  the  Royal  Bounty,  the  government  beheving 
that  it  would  be  inexpedient  to  withhold  it  at  the  pre- 
sent juncture,  letters  patent  were  issued,  under  the 
great  seal  of  Ireland,  constituting  thirteen  ministers 
trustees  for  the  distribution  of  the  grant. 

The  Presbyterian  cause  continuing  to  prosper,  and 
the  Presbyteries  becoming  too  large  for  the  proper  dis- 
charge of  their  duties,  it  became  necessary  to  remodel 
the  organization,  so  as  to  consist  of  three  sub-synods, 
Belfast,  Monaghan,  and  Lagan,  and  nine  Presbyteries, 
Antrim,  Armagh,  Belfast,  Coleraine,  Convoy,  Derry, 
Down,  Monaghan  or  Stonebridge,  and  Tyrone  or 
Cookstovv^n.  Measures  were  also  taken  to  require  sub- 
scription to  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith  by 
every  candidate  as  the  confession  of  his  faith.     The 


258  OATH  OF  ABJURATION.  [Ch.  XX. 

Synod  of  tliis  3^ear  resolved  that  no  one  should  be  re- 
ceived as  a  candidate,  unless  lie  had  studied  four  years 
after  having  completed  his  course  of  philosophy,  and 
afterwards  it  was  added  that  all  young  men  on  trial 
for  the  ministry  should  be  able  to  read  the  Hebrew 
psalter,  ad  aperturam  lihri.  Until  this  time  no  depar- 
ture from  the  doctrines  of  the  Westminster  Confession 
had  appeared  among  the  ministers  in  Ireland,  and 
when,  in  June  of  this  year,  the  Rev.  Thomas  Embyn, 
one  of  the  ministers  in  Dublin,  was  suspected  of  deny- 
ing the  divinity  of  Christ,  and  he,  on  inquiry,  avowing 
himself  an  Arian,  was  immediately  deposed.  In  the 
spring  of  the  next  year  he  published  a  temperate 
defence  of  his  doctrinal  views,  for  which  he  was  in- 
dicted for  blasphemy,  but  not  at  the  suggestion  of  any 
of  the  ministers,  and  after  a  trial  in  the  Court  of 
Queen's  Bench  was  convicted,  and  suffered  a  cruel 
and  unjustifiable  imprisonment  of  more  than  two  years. 
Upon  the  accession  of  Queen  Anne  the  Tories  gained 
the  complete  ascendancy  in  the  government,  and  in 
1703  the  Parliament  passed  an  act  extending  the  Oath 
of  Abjuration  (which  declared  that  James  III.  had  no 
right  or  title  to  the  crown)  to  Ireland,  and  the  Duke 
of  Ormond  was  appointed  Lord  Lieutenant,  and  sent 
to  Ireland  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  out  the  pro- 
visions of  this  statute.  This  oath  was  taken  by  all  the 
Presbyterian  ministers  in  Ireland  except  six,  namely, 
Mr.  M'Bride  of  Belfast,  Alexander  M'Cracken  of  Lis- 
burn,  John  Eiddel  of  Glenavy,  Thomas  Sterling  of 
Devrock,  Grideon  Jacque  and  Patrick  Dunlop,  minis- 
ters without  charge.  These  non-jurors,  as  they  were 
called,  gave  every  assurance  of  their  loyalty  and  alle- 
giance to   Queen  Anne,  but  their  refusal  to  take  the 


n04.]  TEST  ACT.  259 

oatli  gave  occasion  to  the  High  Church  party  to  brand 
them  as  Jacobites  and  disloyal,  and  to  cast  the  same 
reproach  on  the  Presbyterians  generally. 

On  the  21st  of  September  tbe  Irish  Parliament  met, 
and  the  High  Church  party,  having  a  large  majority, 
soon  began  to  indicate  their  hostility  to  the  Presby- 
terians. On  the  19th  of  October  the  committee  on 
public  accounts  recommended  that  Messrs.  M'Bride  and 
M'Cracken  should  be  struck  off  the  grant  of  Eo3^al 
Bounty,  for  refusing  to  take  the  oath  of  abjuration. 
This  recommendation  of  the  committee  was  superseded 
a  few  days  after  by  a  resolution  that  the  Eoyal  Bounty 
was  an  unnecessary  branch  of  the  establishment ;  but 
the  government  was  unwilling  to  venture  upon  this 
bold  step.*  While  the  ministers  escaped  these  attempts 
to  injure  them,  a  more  serious  evil,  affecting  the  whole 
Presbyterian  population,  was  the  introduction  of  those 
anti-popery  laws,  which  have  been  the  source  of  so 
much  misery  to  Ireland,  but  which  are  now,  happily, 
repealed.  In  the  early  part  of  the  first  session,  an 
act  was  introduced  in  the  form  of  "  Heads  of  a  bill 
to  prevent  the  further  growth  of  Poper}^,"  and  was 
sent  to  England  for  the  consideration  of  the  Queen  and 
Council.  In  this  form  it  had  been  warmly  supported 
by  the  Presbyterians,  but  on  its  return  to  Ireland,  to 
their  great  dismay,  it  was  found  that  an  entirely  new 
clause  had  been  introduced  by  the  English  miuistr}^, 
requiring  *'  all  persons  holding  any  of&ce,  civil  or  mil- 
itary, or  receiving  any  pay  or  salary  from  the  crown, 
or  having  command  or  place  of  trust  from  the  sover- 
eia'n,"  to  take  the  sacrament  in  the  Established  Church 
wdthin  three  months  after  any  such  appointment;  in 
other  words,  it  w^as  the  imposition  of  the  Sacramental 


260  PASSED  THE   lEISH  COMMONS.  l^^-  ^^• 

Test  wliich  Lad  so  long  been  tlie  object  of  the  Irish 
prelates  to  impose,  and  which  the  Presbyterians  had 
so  vigorously  opposed.  All  the  evidence  now  extant 
with  regard  to  the  introduction  of  this  clause,  proves 
that  it  was  a  deliberately  planned  scheme  of  the  High 
Church  party,  for  the  purpose  of  humbling  and  op- 
pressing the  Presbyterians. 

On  the  14th  of  February  the  bill,  with  the  addition 
of  the  Sacramental  Test,  Avas  presented  to  the  Irish 
House  of  Commons  and  read  the  first  time,  and  three 
days  after  it  was  read  a  second  time,  when  the  leading 
Eomanists  petitioned  to  be  heard  by  counsel  against 
it,  which  was  granted.  Accordingly,  on  the  22 d  of 
February,  Sir  Theobald  Bulter  delivered  a  most  effec- 
tive speech,  in  which  he  not  only  proved  it  to  be  a 
manifest  breach  of  the  treaty  with  the  Eoman  Cath- 
olics, but  pointed  out  how  undeservedly  the  Presby- 
terians were  treated  by  the  imposition  of  the  Sacra- 
mental Test.  But  the  arguments  and  appeals  of 
counsel  were  of  no  avail,  the  bill  passed  through  the 
committee,  and  was  reported  to  the  House  on  the  follow- 
ing day,  and  ordered  to  be  engrossed,  and  on  the  25th 
of  February  it  was  read  a  third  time  and  sent  to  the 
House  of  Lords,  where,  after  hearing  the  Eomanists 
by  counsel,  it  was  rapidly  passed,  and  received  the 
royal  assent  on  the  4th  of  March. 

During  the  whole  time  that  this  bill  was  under  con- 
sideration, the  Presbyterians  v/ere  led  to  believe  that 
now  they  would  obtain  the  legal  toleration  for  which 
they  had  been  so  long  seeking,  but  now  that  the  bill 
was  passed  all  the  declarations  and  promises  of  tole- 
ration were  forgotten.  The  Irish  Presbyteries  were  in 
a  worse  position  than  their  brethren  in  England.     ISTo 


1705.]  PARLIAMENT  KEFUSES  RELIEF.  261 

Presbyterian  could  lieiicefortli  hold  any  office  in  the 
army,  navy,  customs,  excise  or  post  office,  courts  of 
law,  magistracy  of  the  kingdom,  or  in  the  corporation 
of  the  towns,  without  conforming  to  the  established 
Church.  The  treatment  which  they  received  from 
government  was  deeply  felt  and  resented  in  England, 
and  among  their  ablest  advocates  there,  was  Daniel 
Defoe,  who,  although  a  prisoner  in  Newgate  for  his 
satire  entitled  "The  shortest  Way  with  the  Dissenters," 
took  up  the  pen  in  their  behalf,  and  early  in  the  year 
published  a  pamphlet  with  the  title,  "  The  Parallel ; 
or  Persecution  of  Protestants  the  shortest  Way  to  pre- 
vent the  Growth  of  Popery  in  Ireland." 

At  the  reassembling  of  the  Parliament,  in  1705,  a 
petition  was  presented,  on  the  14th  of  March,  by  a 
few  leading  Presbj^terians  who  had  suffered  under  the 
Test  clause,  exhibiting  the  unshaken  loyalty  of  the 
Presbyterian  body,  and  the  important  services  ren- 
dered by  it  to  the  Protestant  religion  and  the  liberties 
of  the  empire.  They  complain  of  their  having  been 
disabled  by  the  Test  from  executing  any  public  trust 
for  the  service  of  her  Majesty,  the  Protestant  religion 
and  their  country.  They  point  out  the  impolicy  of 
dividing  the  Protestants,  while  the  Romanists  were  six 
to  one  of  the  entire  Protestant  population  ;  and  they 
conclude  with  praying  the  House  "  to  order  a  bill  for 
restoring  such  a  considerable  part  of  the  Protestants 
of  this  kingdom  to  a  capacity  of  defending  her  Maj- 
esty's sacred  person  and  government,  and  the  Protes- 
tant succession  as  by  law  estabhshed."  After  a  warm 
debate  whether  the  petition  should  be  laid  upon  the 
table,  rejected,  or  the  petitioners  be  permitted  to  with- 
draw it,  it  vras  laid  upon  the  table. 


262  "WRITTEN   CONTROVERSY.  [Ch.  XX. 

This  action  of  the  Parliament  convinced  the  Pres- 
byterians that  there  was  no  hope  for  a  redress  of  their 
grievances  from  them.  And  this  conviction  was 
strengthened  by  a  renewed  attempt  to  abolish  their 
privilege  of  celebrating  marriages.  The  Irish  govern- 
ment had  discouraged  the  prosecutions  in  these 
cases,  and  the  subject  was  brought  before  this  Parlia- 
ment and  a  bill  introduced,  which  was  afterwards  sent 
to  England,  but  it  was  never  returned. 

During  the  prosecutions  of  the  ministers  for  celebra- 
ting marriages,  the  Rev.  Mr.  M'Bride,  of  Belfast,  pub- 
lished a  pamphlet  anonymously,  entitled,  "A  Vindica- 
tion of  Marriage  as  solemnized  by  Presbyterians  in  the 
North  of  Ireland."  This  was  an  able  and  elaborate  de- 
fence of  their  conduct,  which  was  answered  flippantly 
by  the  Rev.  Ralph  Lambert,  D.  D.,  and  afterwards 
more  solidly  by  Mr.  Synge,  at  that  time  chaplain  to 
the  Duke  of  Ormond. 

These  writings  of  Mr.  M'Bride  excited  the  anger  of 
the  High  Church  party  against  him,  and  in  virtue  of 
a  resolution  passed  by  the  Commons,  prohibiting  all 
nonjuring  ministers  from  preaching  or  teaching  in 
separate  congregations,  he  was  informed  against, 
brought  before  an  Episcopalian  minister,  who  was  a 
magistrate,  condemned,  and  compelled  to  retire  to 
Scotland,  where  he  was  forced  to  remain  for  three 
years,  during  which  time  he  resided  in  Glasgow,  and 
was  pastor  of  one  of  the  city  churches,  and  sat  as  a 
member  of  the  established  Presbytery  of  Glasgow. 

In  the  midst  of  all  this  opposition  the  church  was 
devoting  her  energies  to  the  defence  and  propagation 
of  evangelical  truth.  A  missiouarj^  fund  was  estab- 
lished by  the  Synod  of  1 705  for  the  support  of  infant 


^'^^'^•]  AFFAIRS  IN   ENGLAND.  26 


congregations  in  the  south  and  west  of  the  kingdom, 
and  in  the  Sjnod  of  1706  a  number  of  laymen  and 
ministers  were  appointed  to  solicit  subscriptions 
throughout  Ulster  for  this  purpose,  and  they  reported 
to  the  next  Synod  that  they  had  collected  about  one 
hundred  and  ten  pounds,  with  the  prospect  of  more, 
and  with  this  sum  missionary  operations  were  com- 
menced. Missionaries  were  sent  to  the  scattered  and 
neglected  Presbyterians  in  Galway,  Bundalk,  Aithlone 
and  other  places. 

While  the  Synod  was  thus  enlarging  the  field  of 
its  operation  a  change  was  occurring  in  the  politico! 
condition  of  England.  The  elections  for  members  of 
Parliament  in  the  summer  of  1705  resulted  in  a  larire 
majority  for  the  whig  party.  This  change  was  first 
felt  in  Ireland  by  the  removal  of  the  Duke  of  Ormond 
from  the  Lord  Lieutenancy  and  the  appointment  of 
Lords  Justices.  And  in  April,  1707,  the  Earl  of  Pem- 
broke, a  well-known  friend  of  toleration  was  prevailed 
upon  to  undertake  the  government  of  Ireland,  and 
accordingly  he  arrived  in  Dublin  on  the  14th  of  June. 
The  Presbyterians  hailed  his  appointment  as  a  means 
of  relief  from  the  Sacramental  Test.  On  the  opening 
of  Parliament  on  the  7th  of  July,  he  expressed  the 
desire  of  the  Qaeen  that  in  consideration  of  the  num- 
ber of  Papists  some  expedient  might  be  devised  for 
strengthening  the  interests  of  the  Protestants  in  her 
kingdom.  This  indication  of  a  desire  in  the  govern- 
ment to  remove  the  evils  of  the  Sacramental  Test 
was  unheeded  by  the  Parliament.  Indeed,  two  days 
before  the  close  of  the  session,  in  inquiring  into  the 
case  of  a  disputed  election  in  the  corporation  of  Bel- 
fist,  and  discovering  that  the  mnjority  of  the  burgesses 


264        EVIL   EFFECTS  OF  SACRAMENTAL  TEST.    [Ch.  XX. 

had  ceased  to  act  on  account  of  their  not  having  re- 
ceived the  Sacrament  in  the  Episcopal  Church,  they 
passed  a  resolution  declaring  that  the  office  of  burgess 
was  vacated  in  every  case  in  which  the  occupant  had 
not  quahfied  by  becoming  a  conformist. 

The  impolicy  of  thus  disqualifying  nearly  one-half 
of  the  Protestants  in  Ireland  from  holding  office  under 
the  crown  became  apparent  in  the  following  spring, 
when  the  Fi-ench  King  made  an  attempt  to  land  the 
Pretender  in  Scotland.  Great  alarm  was  felt  in  Ire- 
land and  especially  in  Ulster,  and  being  called  out  for 
the  defence  of  the  kingdom,  many  of  the  Presbyterians 
refused  to  be  enrolled  as  bringing  them  under  the 
Sacramental  Test,  and  exposing  them  to  its  penalties 
if  they  did  not  conform.  This  was  therefore  consid- 
ered as  a  favorable  time  to  make  another  effort  to 
secure  the  repeal  of  the  Test.  Accordingly  Allen 
Brodrick,  Esq.,  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Commons 
and  a  friend  of  toleration,  visited  England  in  the  sjDring 
and  brought  the  matter  before  the  government.  The 
Presbyterians  of  Ulster  forwarded  a  congratulatory 
address  to  the  Queen  on  the  deliverance  of  the  king- 
dom from  the  threatened  danger,  and  alluded  to  the 
loyalty  of  the  Irish  Presbyterians  through  all  the 
former  vicissitudes,  and  reminding  her  of  the  disqualifi- 
cations under  which  they  lay  from  the  Sacramental  Test. 
Counsellor  Stevens  of  Dublin  was  also  dispatched  to 
London,  to  second  the  efforts  of  Brodrick,  but  on  their 
arrival  thev  found  that  the  Ens:lish  Parliament  had 
been  dissolved,  and  although  the  new  Parliament 
still  possessed  a  majority  of  Whigs  nothing  was  accom- 
plished. 

Lord   Pembroke,  having   been    appointed  by    the 


1709.]  DEAN    SWIFT.  265 

Queen  Lord  High  Admiral,  resigned  his  government 
in  Ireland  and  was  succeeded  by  the  Earl  of  Wharton, 
long  a  leader  of  the  Presbyterian  interest  in  England. 
This  appointment  gave  great  encouragement  to  the 
Presbyterians,  and  at  the  same  time  excited  the  High 
Church  party  to  renewed  efforts  lest  the  Sacramental 
Test  should  be  abolished,  A  new  champion  appeared 
at  this  period  in  their  defence,  the  celebrated  Dean 
Swifr,  who  published  anonymously  his  first  tract  in 
support  of  the  Sacramental  Test,  entitled,  ^'  A  Letter 
from  the  House  of  Commons  in  Ireland  to  a  member 
of  the  House  of  Commons  in  England,  concerning  the 
Sacramental  Test."  In  this  pamphlet,  full  of  sarcasm 
and  irony,  he  denounces  the  Irish  Presbyterians  as  the 
most  formidable  foes  of  the  Established  Church,  and 
declares  that  more  danger  is  to  be  apprehended  from 
them  than  from  the  Romanists. 

Immediately  following  this,  another  tract  of  far  infe- 
rior ability,  appeared  from  the  pen  of  the  Reverend 
William  Tisdall,  vicar  of  Belfast.  This  tract  appeared 
anonymously  in  the  spring  of  1709,  in  which  the  au- 
thor attempts  to  prove  that  the  Presbyterians  were 
wholly  unworthy  of  relief  or  toleration. 

During  these  attacks  upon  the  Presbyterians  the 
Earl  of  Wharton  reached  Dublin,  and  was  sworn  into 
ofBice  at  the  close  of  April  He  was  accompanied  by 
the  celebrated  Joseph  Addison  as  private  secretary, 
who  was  also  a  member  of  the  Irish  House  of  Com- 
mons, elected  from  the  borough  of  Cavan.  On  the 
5th  of  May  he  opened  the  Parliament  with  a  speech, 
in  which  he  alluded  to  the  preponderance  of  the  Roman- 
ists over  the  Protestants,  and  while  advising  further 
severities  against  the  former  he  recommended  the  cul- 

12 


266  EARL  OF  WHARTON.  [Ch.  XX. 

tivation  of  a  spirit  of  union  among  the  latter.  In  the 
answer  of  the  Commons  to  this  speech  they  admitted 
the  claims  of  the  Presbyterians  to  toleration,  but  were 
silent  as  to  the  Test  Act,  which  they  knew  was  the 
only  point  to  which  Lord  Wharton  referred.  In  the 
House  of  Lords,  composed  of  ten  laymen  and  twelve 
Bishops,  at  the  head  of  whom  was  King,  an  amend- 
ment in  favor  of  toleration  was  summarily  rejected, 
and  in  contempt  of  notorious  facts  they  boldly  assured 
the  Lord  Lieutenant  that  "all  our  fellow-subjects  are 
treated  with  so  much  tenderness  that  we  hope  they 
never  will  have  just  reason  to  complain  of  any  unea- 
siness." 

No  farther  effort  was  made  in  this  Parliament  to- 
wards the  abolition  of  the  Sacramental  Test,  which 
seems  to  have  chagrined  the  Lord  Lieutenant ;  and  in 
his  closing  speech  he  once  more  calls  the  attention  of 
Parliament  to  the  subject  of  the  test  in  these  pointed 
terms :  "I  make  no  question  but  that  you  understand 
too  well  the  true  interest  of  the  Protestant  religion  in 
this  kingdom  not  to  endeavor  to  make  all  such  Protest- 
ants as  easy  as  you  can  who  are  willing  to  contribute 
what  they  can  to  defend  the  whole  against  the  com- 
mon enemy." 


CHAPTER      XXI. 

1709-1714. 

Through  the  influence  of  the  Lord  Lieutenant  the 
Presbyterians  of  Ulster  enjoyed  comparative  freedom. 
Their  congregations  had  become  so  numerous,  now 
numbering  one  hundred  and  thirty,  that  it  was  incon- 
venient for  their  ministers  and  elders  to  meet  in  one 
Synod,  and  accordingly  at  the  meeting  of  Synod,  in 
1708,  it  was  proposed  to  make  it  a  delegated  body. 
This  proposition  was  more  freely  discussed  in  the  next 
Synod,  but  was  strongly  opposed  by  a  number  of  min- 
isters and  elders,  who  drew  up  a  protest  against  the  con- 
stitutional change,  which  led  to  the  postponement,  and 
finally  the  abandonment  of  the  measure. 

Although  during  this  period  the  Presbyterians  gen- 
erally were  not  molested  in  their  labors,  yet  in  a  few 
instances  this  was  not  the  case.  In  the  town  of  Droo-h- 
eda  there  had  been  a  non-conforming  congregation 
with  an  uninterrupted  succession  of  ministers,  from  the 
time  of  Cromwell  until  1688  ;  but  during  the  long  oc- 
cupation of  the  town  by  the  forces  of  King  James  the 
congregation  had  been  dispersed.  After  the  accession 
of  King  William  the  Presbyterian  inhabitants  had 
called  upon  the  neighboring  ministers  for  their  assist- 
ance, and  latterly  had  applied  to  the  Synod  to  send 
them  supplies  until  they  should  be  able  to  support  a 
settled  minister.     In  answer  to  this  appeal  the  Synod, 


268  PERSECUTIONS.  [Ch.  XXL 

in  1708,  directed  the  Presbytery  of  Armagh  to  send 
them  such  supply,  and  the  Rev.  James  Fleming  was 
appointed.  But  the  day  after  his  first  service,  at  the 
instigation  of  Dean  Cox,  the  Episcopal  minister  of  the 
town,  he  was  cited  before  the  mayor  and  council  and 
threatened  with  legal  proceedings  unless  he  should  de- 
sist. Undismayed  by  these  threats,  he  preached  on  the 
next  Sabbath,  for  which  he  was  brought  again  before 
the  authorities  and  bound  over  to  stand  his  trial  for  a 
riot  and  unlawful  assembly.  The  next  minister  who 
preached  to  the  people  was  the  Rev.  William  Bigger, 
who  had  been  treated  in  the  same  way  ten  years  before, 
for  the  same  cause  in  Gal  way.  On  Sunday,  the 
3d  of  October,  he  preached  in  a  private  house, 
which  coming  to  the  ears  of  Dean  Cox,  he  procured 
a  certificate  from  the  Bishop  of  Armagh,  stating 
that  Mr.  Bigger  was  not  licensed  to  preach  in  his 
diocese,  which  being  presented  to  the  mayor,  he  com- 
mitted him  to  prison  for  three  months,  and  refused  to 
release  him  except  upon  condition  that  the  attempt  to 
form  a  Presbyterian  congTegation  in  Drogheda  should 
be  abandoned.  After  an  imprisonment  of  six  weeks 
he  was  released.  These  efforts  to  crush  the  congrega- 
tion of  Drogheda  proved  ineffectual ;  and  soon  after 
the  Rev.  Hugh  Henry  received  a  call,  and  in  March 
was  installed  as  pastor,  where  he  offi^ciated  for  more 
than  thirty  years. 

Soon  after  these  troubles  at  Drogheda  the  Rev.  John 
Campbell,  an  Episcopal  minister  residing  near  Antrim, 
sent  a  challenge  to  all  the  Presbyterian  ministers  whom 
he  knew  to  be  authors,  such  as  Boyse,  M'Bride  and 
Craghead,  to  produce  a  warrant  from  Scripture  for 
Presbyters  ordaining  or  ruling  without  a  bishop.    IN'ot 


1710.]  ROMAN   CATHOLIC    IXTERESTS.  269 

content  with  sending  it  to  private  ministers  he,  by  the 
hands  of  three  Episcopal  ministers,  sent  a  formal  copy 
to  the  moderator  of  the  Synod  at  Belfast,  in  1610,  to  be 
laid  before  the  assembled  ministers  of  the  province. 
The  letters  which  Campbell  sent  to  the  different  minis- 
ters were  shortly  answered  by  them.  At  the  close  of 
the  year  Campbell  published  a  reply,  nnder  the  title  of 
"  Mr.  Campbell's  Letter  to  a  Parishioner."  This  brought 
out  the  Eev.  Thomas  Gowan,  minister  of  Drumbo,  in 
a  pamphlet;  in  w^hich  he  made  an  elaborate  examina- 
tion of  the  whole  question,  upon  which  Mr.  Campbell 
retired  discomfited  from  the  field. 

The  established  Church  did  not  entirely  neglect  the 
interests  of  the  Roman  Catholics.  Since  the  days  of 
Bedell  little  had  been  done  for  the  instruction  of  the 
native  Irish  ;  but  in  1609  the  subject  was  taken  up  in 
a  convocation  of  the  established  clergy,  and  many  im- 
portant measures  recommended  for  their  instruction  in 
the  vernacular,  and  at  the  convocation  of  1611,  a  num- 
ber of  ministers  devoted  themselves  to  this  work  ;  but 
their  plans  were  defeated  by  the  prejudice  excited  by 
the  anti-popery  laws,  and  the  apathy  of  the  Bishops 
and  most  of  the  clergy. 

In  1610  the  Synod  of  Ulster  took  up  the  same  sub- 
ject, and  determined  to  carry  on  this  noble  work  with 
vigor.  On  the  1st  of  May,  in  this  same  year,  was  es- 
tablished the  ^' Greneral  Fund,"  for  the  purpose  of  sup- 
porting religion  in  Dublin  and  the  south  of  Ireland, 
and  assisting  dissenting  ministers  and  congregations 
who  were  unable  to  provide  for  themselves  ;  and  for 
many  years,  by  means  of  this  fund,  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel  was    introduced   and   maintained   among 


270  PERSECUTIONS  RENEWED.  [Ch.  XXT. 

many  dissenting  communities  in  tlie  soutliern  part  of 
the  kingdom. 

In  May,  1610,  the  Earl  of  Wharton  again  returned 
to  Ireland  and  assumed  the  reins  of  government,  and 
on  the  assembling  of  Parliament  soon  after  he  once 
more  recommended  union  among  Protestants ;  but  al- 
tliough  it  sat  until  August  nothing  was  effected  to- 
wards tbe  removal  of  the  Sacramental  Test.  Soon  after 
he  returned  to  Enoiand  and  found  a  chanQ;e  of  admin- 
istration  taking  place,  which  ultimately  involved  the 
Presbyterians  in  Ireland  in  very  serious  trouble.  The 
Queen  had  transferred  the  government  from  the  Whigs 
to  the  Tories.  And  in  the  month  of  October  the  Duke 
of  Ormond  was  again  appointed  Lord  Lieutenant  of 
Ireland  in  place  of  Wharton,  and  until  he  could  go 
himself  he  committed  affairs  to  the  Primate  and  the 
commander  of  the  forces,  as  Lords  Justices.  This 
change  of  government  was  the  signal  for  fresh  perse- 
cutions of  the  Dissenters  in  Ireland.  Their  first  act  was, 
(through,  two  High.  Church  magistrates  near  Belfast,) 
to  issue  warrants  for  the  three  non-juring  ministers  in 
that  neighborhood,  M'Bride,  Bedell  and  M'Cracken. 
The  two  former  concealed  themselves,  and  afterwards 
escaped  to  Scotland.  M'Cracken  was  taken,  but 
through  the  connivance  of  Dr.  Smith,  Bishop  of 
Down  and  Connor,  escaped  from  the  custody  of  the 
constable,  and  took  refuge  in  Castle  Kennedy,  in  Scot- 
land ;  and  in  March,  1711,  proceeded  to  London,  and 
laid  his  case  before  the  government.  He  was  favor- 
ably received  by  the  Duke  of  Ormond  and  the  Earl  of 
Oxford,  who  promised  to  consider  the  question  of  the 
abolition  of  the  Sacramental  Test,  and  give  him  an  an- 
swer.    Encouraged  by  these  promises,  lie  transmitted 


mi.]  AFFAIRS    IN   THE   IRISH    PARLIAMENT.  271 

a  favorable  account  of  Lis  visit  to  London,  to  the  Synod 
which  met  at  Belfast  in  June. 

On  the  2d  of  July  the  Duke  of  Ormond  reached 
Ireland,  and  almost  immediately  removed  from  his  seat 
Lord  Chief  Justice  Brodrick,  the  warm  friend  of  the 
Presbyterians,  and  other  Whig  judges.     At  the  open- 
ing of  the  Parli  mient  he  made  no  reference  to  the  case 
of  the  Dissenters  ;  but  in  his  address  to  the  Queen  he 
stated  that  "  all  her  Majesty's  subjects  in  Ireland  equall}'- 
participated  in  her  justice  and  favor."   The  Whigs  made 
objections  to  this  statement  as  being  untrue,  as  the  Sac- 
ramental Test  excluded  one-half  of  the  Protestants  in 
Ireland  from  her  service ;  but  the  amendment  which 
they  proposed  to  this  part  of  the  address  was  lost  by  an 
overwhelming  majority.    In  the  House  of  Lords,  three 
days  before  the  adjournment,  the  case  of  the  Dissent- 
ers was  introduced,  and  committed  to  thirteen  Bishops, 
headed  by  Archbishop  King,  and  eleven  laymen,  who 
on  the  next  day  submitted  to  the  House  a  Kepresenta- 
tion  relating  to  dissenting  ministers.     It  presented  a 
long  catalogue  of  alleged  grievances  which  the  Episco- 
pal Church  and  her  unprotected  members  were  endur- 
ing at  the  hands  of  the  highly  favored  Presbyterians 
of  Ireland !      They   therefore   suggest  that  the  only 
method  of   putting  "a  stop  to   these  growing  evils" 
would  be  the  withdrawal  of  the  Koyal  Bounty.     This 
Representation,  as  false  as  it  was  unjust  and  undigni- 
fied, was  transmitted  to  the   Queen,  and  ordered   to 
be  printed  in  a  separate  form  and  distributed  among 
the  people.     On  the  closing  day   of  this  session  the 
Lords  directed  a  volume  of  Mr.  Boyse's  sermons,  just 
published,  to  be  burned  in  Dublin  by  the  common  hang- 
man, on  the  ground  that  '^  it  was  false  and  scandalous, 


272  VINDICATION    OF  THE    PPvESBYTERY.         [Ch.  XXI 

and  contained  matters  highly  reflecting  on  the  legisla- 
tion of  the  country  and  on  the  Episcopal  order." 

This  example  of  the  House  of  Lords  was  imitated  by 
the  convocation  of  the  clergy,  Avhich,  happily  for  Ire- 
land and  the  peace  of  their  own  Church,  has  never 
been  permitted  by  the  Crown  to  hold  another  meeting. 
The  paper  which  they  drew  up  on  the  subject  of  Dis- 
senters was  published  for  distribution,  in  the  form  of  a 
pamphlet. 

The  Presbyterians,  seeing  the  storm  which  these  pub- 
lications was  raising,  prepared,  through  a  committee 
of  Synod,  a  vindication  of  themselves  against  these  cal- 
umnies, and  dispatched  Mr.  Iredell,  of  Dublin,  to  lay 
it  before  the  Queen.  A  separate  paper  was  drawn  up 
on  the  1st  of  January,  1712,  in  answer  to  the  address 
of  the  con  vocation ,  and  sent  to  Mr.  Iredell,  in  London. 
These  papers  were  laid  by  him  before  the  Queen,  and 
were  afterwards  published  in  a  valuable  tract,  entitled, 
"  The  Present  State  of  Eeligion  in  Ireland." 

The  convocation,  in  their  hostility  to  all  classes  of 
Dissenters  in  Ireland,  did  not  overlook  the  French  ref- 
ugees, and  they  were  required  to  conform  on  the  igno- 
rant and  false  pretense  that  their  own  church  was  Epis- 
copal, not  Presbyterian. 

In  the  spring  of  1712,  Doctor  Tisdall  again  appeared 
before  the  public  in  a  pamphlet  against  the  Dissenters, 
through  the  whole  of  which  there  runs  such  a  disre- 
gard of  truth,  and  such  a  malignant  and  persecuting 
spirit  as  is  almost  unexampled  even  in  that  age  of  un- 
scrupulous partisanship. 

The  circulation  of  these  inflamatory  papers  excited 
fresh  feelings  of  bitterness  against  the  Presbyterians. 
Sir   Constantine    Phipps,    the    Lord-Chancellor,   into 


1712.]  NON-JURING   MEMBERS   FLY.  273 

whose  hands  the  principle   direction  of  government 
had  fallen  since  the  departure  of  the  Duke  of  Ormond 
at  the  end  of  the  previous  year,  appointed  to  office 
none  but  thorough  partisans   of    his   own   intolerant 
policy.  .  But  in  the   county   of  Antrim,   finding  but 
few  among  the    aristocracy   disposed  to  support   his 
views,  he  was  obliged  to  appoint  to  the  office  of  High 
Sheriff  those  who  had  served  before.     Thus  in   the 
year  1711,  1712  he  was  under  the  necessity  of  taking 
Mr.  Westenra  Waring  of  Belfast,   who  had  six  years 
before  held  the  office,  who  was  deeply  in  debt  and  was 
soon  after  compelled  to  secrete  himself  from  his  cred- 
itors.    In  the  following  year  he  appointed  to  the  same 
office  Mr.  Brent  Spencer,  who  had  been  sheriff  in  1704; 
both  of  these  had  in  former  years  been  most  officious 
against  the  Presbyterians.      These  were  followed  by 
Eobert  Green  of  Belfast,  father-in-law  of  Mr.  Waring, 
and  not  inferior  to  him  in  his  opposition  to  the  Dis- 
senters.    The  influence  of  these  men  greatly  aggra- 
vated the  difficulties  of  the  Presbyterians,  so  ^  that  the 
three    nonjuring   ministers   were   for  the   third  time 
obliged  to  fly  to  Scotland. 

Shice  the  oath  6i  abjuration  had  been  imposed  and 
taken  by  the  ministers  of  the  province,  others  had 
been  ordained  who  had  not  yet  complied  with  the  act ; 
accordingly  the  Synod,  which  met  at  Belfast  in  June, 
advised  all  the  ministers  if  they  had  clearness  so  to  do 
to  take  the  oath  as  soon  and  in  as  private  a  way  as 
they  can,  viz :  in  one  of  the  four  courts  of  Dublin, 
and  tbose  who  had  not  this  "  clearness  "  were  directed 
to  advise  with  their  brethren  so  as  to  have  their  scruples 
removed.  At  this  meeting  of  Synod  Mr.  Iredell  gave 
statement  of  his  visit  to  London,  and  his  interview 


a 

12* 


274  STATE   OF  PUBLIC   FEELING  [Cu.  XXI 

with  the  Earl  of  Oxford  and  others,  but  reported  that 
he  could  get  no  promises  from  them,  although  the 7 
expressed  sympathy  for  their  condition  and  held  out 
hopes  of  ultimate  relief.  Soon  after  this  meeting,  Mr. 
McCracken,  one  of  the  nonjui^ing  ministers,  proceeded 
from  Galloway,  where  he  had  taken  refuge,  to  London, 
but  his  visit  resulted  in  no  good. 

An  incident  occurring   about  this   time  will  show 
the  state    of  feeling    existing   in   Ulster  against   the 
Dissenters.     At  the  Synod  of  this  year,  a  paper   em- 
anating from  the  Presbyterians  of  Dublin  was  circu- 
lated among  the  members,  calling  their  attention  to 
prevalent  sins,  and  the  necessity  for  public  and  private 
reformation,  and  proposing  that  all  should  engage  in 
fervent    prayer   from    seven  to  eight   o'clock    every 
Tuesday  morning,  in  order  to  avert  from  the  nation 
threatened  judgments.     This   paper  foiling  into  the 
hands  of  the  vicar  of  Belfast,  and  appearing  to  him 
to  be  filled  with  disloyal  and  seditious  sentiments,  he 
sent  a  copy  to  Lord  Chancellor  Phipps,  together  with 
an  alarming  account  of  the  number  of  ministers   and 
elders  who  attended  this  Synod.      The  Lord  Chancel- 
lor immediately  dispatched  it  to   Mr.  Southwell,  the 
Secretary  for  Ireland,  then  in  London,  with  the  request 
that  it  might  be  laid  before  the  Queen,  but  the  Secre- 
tary^ seeing  nothing  in  it  to  justify  alarm  took  no  no- 
tice of  the  request.     ISTot  to  be  turned  aside  from  his 
purpose  the  Chancellor  immediately    wrote  to  Lord 
Harcourt,  the  keeper  of  the  great  seal  in  England,  re- 
peating what  he  had  said  to  Southwell.     But  all  these 
efforts  to  incite  the  English  administration   against  the 
Presbyterians  proved  ineffectual.     Towards  the  close 
of   this   year  Dr.    Tisdall   published   another  chnrac- 


1712.J  DARRAGH   OF   MOXAGHAN.  275 

teristic  pamplilet,  promising  to  continue  the  subject  at 
a  future  time. 

The  state  of  party  feeling  is  still  further  exhibited 
in  an  incident  resulting  from  the  action  of  the  Synod 
of  this  year.  The  Reverend  Robert  Darragh  of  Mon- 
aghan,  on  account  of  drunkenness  and  other  irregu- 
larities, was  in  1710  suspended  from  the  ministry  by 
the  Presbyter}'  of  Monaghan.  This  sentence  he  treated 
with  contempt,  preaching  and  administering  the  Lord's 
Supper  to  those  who  adhered  to  him.  The  Synod  in 
1711,  after  an  investigation  of  the  matter,  ordered  Mr. 
Darragh  to  submit  to  the  sentence  of  the  Presbytery, 
or  in  case  of  refusal  tbey  were  to  proceed  to  his  dep- 
osition, which  they  were  ultimately  constrained  to  do. 
Darragh  appealed  to  the  Synod  of  1712,  who  confirmed 
his  deposition.  Indignant  at  this  action  he  procured 
from  the  court  of  Queen's  Bench  a  summons  against 
the  ministers,  directed  to  Mr.  Earkpatrick,  the  modera- 
tor of  the  Synod.  We  have  no  record  of  the  result 
of  these  proceedings. 

Soon  after  this  the  Presbytery  of  Monaghan  was 
brought  into  serious  difficulty  while  in  the  exercise  of  its 
ordinary  functions.  They  had  assembled  in  the  town 
of  Belturbet,  in  the  county  of  Cavan,  for  the  purpose 
of  giving  sanction  to  the  Presbyterians  there  in  building 
a  new  house  of  worship.  During  their  meeting  a  nu- 
merous body  of  the  established  clergy,  with  the  justices 
of  the  peace  of  the  district,  assembled,  and  procured 
the  arrest  of  the  whole  Presbytery,  who  were  bound 
over  to  appear  for  trial  for  holding  an  unlawful  and 
riotous  assembly.  This  bold  and  novel  procedure  cre- 
ated great  consternation  and  alarm  throughout  Ulster. 
Accordingly,  the  committee  of  the  Synod  met  at  An- 


276  THE   PRESBYTERY  ARRAIG]S'ED,  [Ch.  XXJ. 

trim,  and  dispatcTied  Mr.  Kirkpatrick  to  lay  the  case 
before  the  Lords  Justices ;  but  meeting  with  no  en- 
couragement, Mr.  Iredell  was  once  more  sent  to  Lon- 
don, and  so  far  succeeded  in  his  mission  that  instruc- 
tions were  sent  over  to  the  Lords  Justices  directing 
them,  in  case  an  indictment  was  found  by  the  grand 
jury  against  the  Presbytery,  the  case  should  be  removed 
to  the  court  of  Queen's  Bench,  in  order  to  be  freed 
from  local  prejudices.  This  was  accordingly  done,  and 
in  April  they  appeared  in  Dublin  to  stand  their  trial. 
On  the  day  before  the  trial  they  presented  a  memorial 
to  the  Lords  Justices,  in  which,  according  to  a  report 
sent  by  them  to  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  they  declared 
that  they  had  no  intention  of  erecting  a  meeting  house 
in  the  town ;  and  that  since  the  complaint  was  made 
they  had  prevailed  upon  the  people  to  remove  it  a  mile 
further  from  Belturbet  than  it  was  before.  The  Lords 
Justices,  therefore,  in  their  dispatch  advised,  in  view 
of  the  prudent  behavor  and  submissive  spirit  of  the 
ministers,  the  proceedings  should  be  carried  no  fur- 
ther; and  accordingly,  by  direction  of  the  Duke  of 
Ormond,  an  order  was  issued  to  that  effect. 

In  the  conclusion  of  this  dispatch  the  Lords  Justices 
touch  upon  another  topic,  which  shows  that  the  Eepre- 
sentation  of  the  House  of  Lords  and  the  calumnies  of 
Dr.  Tisdall  had  led  them  to  believe  that  their  mission- 
ary operations  were  carried  on  by  means  of  the  Roj^al 
Bounty,  and  not  by  funds  collected  from  the  churches. 
Under  this  erroneous  impression  they  recommended 
that  the  Royal  Bounty  should  be  limited  to  the  Presby- 
terian ministers  in  the  north  of  Ireland. 

Mr.  McBride,  while  living  in  exile  in  Scotland,  pub- 
lished anonymously  an  answer  to  Tisdall's  first  two 


17 U.J  HISTOKY   OF  THE   IRISH   CHURCH.  277 

pamphlets.  As  a  counterpart  to  the  ironical  title  of 
the  former  of  these  he  entitled  his  work  "  A  Sample  of 
Jet-black  Prelatic  Calumny,  in  Answer  to  a  Pamphlet 
called  '  A  Sample  of  True-blue  Presbyterian  Loyalty, 
etc'  "  This  work  contains  but  little  information  of  the 
history  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Ireland,  being 
principally  a  defence  of  the  English  and  Scottish  Pres- 
byterians, with  one  or  two  valuable  documents,  and  a 
few  important  details  not  elsewhere  to  be  found.  Soon 
after  the  publication  of  this  work  Mr.  McBride  ven- 
tured to  return  to  Belfast,  and  was  soon  followed  by 
McCracken  and  Eiddel,  who  found  on  their  arrival 
their  brethren  still  suffering  from  the  intolerant  spirit 
of  the  High  Church  party. 

During  these  distracting  times  the  Synod  continued 
to  exercise  vigilance  in  discipline,  and  in  the  examnia- 
tion  of  candidates.     They  also  turned  their  attention 
again  to  the  subject  of  providing  a  History  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  in  Ireland.     The  compilation  of  the 
late   Rev.    Patrick    Adair   of  Belfast    still    remained 
unpublished,    although    several    ministers    had    been 
successively  appointed  to  complete  it.    It  was  brought 
before  Synod  by  an  overture  from  the  sub-synod  of 
Belfast,  tlie  preamble  to  which  will  express  their  views 
respecting  it :  "  Whereas  an  history  of  this  Church  were 
very  desiivable,  and  all  attempts  at  writing  it  have  proved 
unsuccessful,  w^hich,  as  we  humbly  conceive,  is  chiefly 
owing  to  two  causes,  viz. :  [First],  want  of  due  care  to 
preserve  public  papers  that  have  been  drawn  up  in  this 
Church,  and  neglecting  to  collect  them  into  a  book ; 
and    [secondly]   not  giving   due   assistance   to   those 
brethren  to  whom  the  compiling  of  the  said  history 
was  committed.     And  whereas  Mr.  John  McBride  was 


278  KIRKPATRICK's   historical    essay.      [Gu.  XXI. 

tlie  person  to  whom  it  was  last  committed  by  the  Gren- 
eral  Synod,  we  overture,"  etc.  The  Synod  approved 
of  this  proposal,  reappointed  Mr.  McBride  to  the  work, 
and  appointed  Rev.  John  Kirkpatrick  to  assist  him. 
This  arrangement  for  completing  the  history  of  the 
Church  was  not  more  successful  than  the  preceding 
ones ;  and  this  important  and  deeply  interesting  sub- 
ject continued  to  be  neglected,  and  almost  totally  for- 
gotten, for  more  than  a  century  afterwards. 

But  though  this  effort  failed  to  secure  a  history  of 
the  Church,  yet  not  long  after  the  Rev.  Mr.  Kirkpat- 
rick, who  had  long  been  collecting  materials  to  defend 
his  brethren  from  the  charges  made  against  them,  pub- 
lished a  volume  containing  nearly  six  hundred  closely 
printed  quarto  pages,  entitled,  "An  Historical  Essay 
upon  the  Loyalty  of  Presbyterians  in  Great  Britain, 
from  the  Reformation  to  the  present  year,  1713."  This 
work  was  published  anonymously,  and  contains  but 
little  information  on  the  history  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Ireland. 

The  nonjuring  ministers  were  still  subject  to  great 
annoj'ances  from  the  local  authorities,  in  the  midst  of 
which  a  change  took  place  in  the  government  of  Ire- 
land, the  Duke  of  Ormond,  who  had  not  been  in  Ire- 
land since  the  year  1711,  being  succeeded  by  the  Duke 
of  Shrewsburj',  a  nobleman  of  moderate  views  and  con- 
ciliatory temper.  He  arrived  in  Dublin  on  the  27th  of 
October,  and  immediately  entered  upon  the  duties  of 
his  office.  He  was  soon  after  waited  upon  by  a  depu- 
tation of  Presbyterian  ministers,  who  stated  their  griev- 
ances, and  their  inclination  to  emigrate  to  America, 
where  they  might  enjoy  liberty  of  conscience. 

On  the  26th  of  November  the  Duke  of  Shrewsbury 


nu.j     PRESBYTERIANS   ASSERT  THEIR   LOYALTY.      279 

opened  the  Parliament  with  the  usual  address,  in  which, 
instead  of  containing  any  hint  of  toleration,  he  sug- 
gested that  additional  severities  might  possibly  be  laid 
upon  the  Dissenters.  And  in  the  addresses  of  the 
House  of  Lords  to  the  Qaeen,  and  to  the  Lord  Lieu- 
tenant, they  speak  very  plainly  of  the  course  they  are 
willing  to  pursue  against  Dissenters,  and  especially  in 
regard  to  the  nonjuring  ministers.  This  address  stirred 
up  again  the  opposition  against  these  brethren,  and 
Mr.  M'Cracken  was  seized  and  imprisoned  ;  but  it  was 
most  difficult  to  find  witnesses  willing  to  testify  that 
M'Cracken  was  a  preacher  of  a  separate  congregation, 
which  was  necessary  to  conviction.  He  was  finally 
convicted,  and  condemned  to  pay  a  fine  of  five  hun- 
dred pounds,  and  to  be  committed  to  prison  for  six 
months. 

Tisdall  judging  this  to  be  a  favorable  opportunity, 
published  another  pamphlet,  in  which  he  takes  no 
notice  of  the  complete  refutation  of  his  former  works 
by  Mr.  Kirkpatrick.  This  was  indeed  his  invariable 
policy,  to  refrain  from  noticing  the  replies  which  his 
accusations  had  elicited,  and  to  reassert  them  in  all  re- 
spects unimpeached  and  unimpeachable. 

The  Synod  in  June  of  this  year  feeling  constrained 
to  notice  the  misrepresentations  which  had  been  pub- 
lished against  them,  and  the  grievances  to  which  they 
were  still  exposed,  published  an  "■  Act  recommending 
Prayer  in  Congregations  and  Families  for  her  Majesty 
Queen  Anne,  and  the  serene  Greorge  Lewis,  Duke  of 
Brunswick-Lunenburg,  and  the  Succession  to  the  Crown 
in  the  illustrious  House  of  Hanover  ;  and  against  the 
Pretender,  and  against  all  his  secret  and  open  abettors." 
But  in  the  meantime  Archbishop  King  had  been  success- 


280  PRESBYTERIAN   GRIEVANCES.  [Ch.  XXI. 

ful  in  his  long  clierislied  scheme,  and  the  Koyal  Bounty 
was  altogether  withdrawn  from  the  Presbyterians.  The 
troubles  in  regard  to  their  marriages  were  also  renewed, 
and  the  SynoJ^  vv'hen  called  upon  for  advice  b}^  persons 
who  had  been  married  bj^  Presbyterian  ministers,  gave 
it  as  their  unanimous  opinion  that  they  should  not  re- 
marry in  the  Episcopal  Church,  but  rather  stand  the 
suits  which  were  threatened.  The  Synod,  also,  at  this 
time  again  dispatched  Mr.  Iredell  to  London,  to  ob- 
viate any  misrepresentation  of  their  principles,  and  to 
ask  for  a  redress  of  their  grievances.  At  the  same 
meeting  the  Synod  determined  to  take  steps  for  ascer- 
taining how  many  of  their  p^ple  were  ready  to  take 
up  arms  for  the  Protestant  succession,  in  case  any  re- 
sistance should  be  offered  to  the  accession  of  the  Elector 
of  Hanover ;  and  the  result  showed  that  no  fewer  than 
fifty  thousand  men,  with  oflQ.cers,  wero  prepared,  when 
called  on,  to  venture  their  all  in  his  support. 

In  England,  under  the  lead  of  Bolingbroke,  matters 
were  assuming  a  very  serious  aspect.  In  the  new 
House  of  Commons  the  Tories  had  an  overwhelming 
majority.  A  bill  introduced  for  the  exclusion  of  all 
Dissenters  from  the  office  of  teachers,  and  compelling 
all  schoolmasters  to  conform  to  the  Established  Church, 
intended  at  first  only  for  England,  was,  by  the  intro- 
duction of  a  clause,  extended  to  Ireland.  The  news 
of  the  passage  of  this  act  reaching  Ireland,  the  zeal  of 
the  High  Church  party  was  greatly  inflamed.  An  ad- 
dress to  the  Queen  from  the  grand  jury  of  the  county 
of  Antrim,  expressing  their  satisfaction,  was  carried 
through  the  country  to  be  signed  by  all  the  High 
Church  gentry.  In  various  parts  of  the  province  the 
Presbyterians  were  exposed  to  gross  insult,  their  cate- 


in4.]         DEATH  OF  QUEEN  ANNE.  281 

chisms  and  other  books  offered  for  sale  were  seized, 
and  the  doors  of  some  of  their  churches  were  nailed 
up.  But,  happily  for  the  peace  of  Ulster,  these  in- 
tolerant proceedings  were  suddenly  checked  by  the 
death  of  the  Queen  on  the  1st  of  August— the  very 
day,  by  a  singular  coincidence,  on  which  the  schism 
bill,  as  it  was  called,  came  into  operation. 


CHAPTER      XXII. 

1714-1719. 

The  accession  of  George  I.  restored  the  Whigs  and 
Low  Church  party  to  power.  This  change  in  the  gov- 
ernment was  received  with  different  feeling^s  by  the 
various  parties  among  the  Irj^h  Protestants.  The 
High  Church  party  felt  that  their  power  was  pros- 
trated, while  the  Low  Church  (with  some  misgivings 
among  the  prelates  of  that  party)  considered  it  as  a 
barrier  against  the  Pretender  and  the  Romanists;  bat 
in  the  Presbyterians  it  excited  the  most  confident 
hopes  of  receiving  that  justice  which  they  had  so  long 
sought. 

Greorge  I  was  proclaimed  with  joy  and  triumph  in 
all  the  principal  towns  in  Ulster,  in  the  month  of  Au- 
gust. In  September,  two  of  the  Lords  Justices  were 
superseded  and  others  apppointed  in  their  place,  one 
of  whom.  Archbishop  King,  was  the  bitter  foe  of  the 
Presbyterians.  At  the  close  of  this  month  the  Earl 
of  Sunderland  was  appointed  Lord  Lieutenant,  in  the 
place  of  the  Duke  of  Shrewsbury,  but  he  never  came 
over  to  Ireland. 

The  government  being  settled,  the  Irish  Presbyte- 
rians laid  their  usual  compLaints  before  the  King  and 
ministry  in  London,  asking  for  a  repeal  of  the  Sacra- 
mental Test;  for  legal  protection  for  their  worship  and 


1714.]  DIFFEKENCE3  IN  THE   SYNOD.  283 

government;  and  for  a  restoration  and  increase  of  the 
Kojal  Bounty.  In  asking  for  legal  protection  in  their 
worship  it  became  necessary  for  them  to  decide  whether 
they  would  subscribe  to  the  thirty-nine  articles,  ex- 
cepting those  which  related  to  discipline;  and  at  a 
meeting  of  the  Synod's  committee  on  the  10th  of 
November,  called  to  consider  this  question,  as  might 
have  been  expected,  some  were  found  opposed  to  the 
subscription,  as  required  by  the  English  Act  of  Tolera- 
tion ;  but  as  an  expression  of  what  they  were  willing 
to  do,  it  w^as  resolved,  "That  the  first  thing  we  shall 
propose  and  insist  upon  as  the  terms  on  which  we  will 
accept  of  a  toleration  shall  be,  upon  our  subscribing 
the  Westminister  Confession  of  Faith."  There  were 
at  this  time  a  few  ministers  in  Dublin  and  the  south 
of  Ireland  v/ho  had  been  educated  among  the  English 
Dis£enters,  who  were  averse  to  subscribing  to  the  West- 
minister Confession,  and  to  meet  the  scruples  of  these 
brethren,  though  none  of  them  were  present  at  the 
meeting  at  Antrim,  a  special  formula  was  prepared 
as  a  substitute,  in  case  subscription  to  the  former 
should  not  be  accepted  by  the  government.  Indeed, 
it  was  afterwards  surmised  that  this  step  was  taken  at 
the  instigation  of  some  northern  ministers,  who  after- 
wards openly  avowed  their  opposition  to  the  West- 
minister Confession. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  next  year.  Colonel  Clot- 
worthy  Upton  of  Templepatrick,  and  Mr.  Iredell  of 
Dublin,  commissioners  appointed  b}^  the  Synod's  com- 
mittee in  Antrim,  proceeded  to  London,  and  at  the 
suggestion'of  their  English  friends  drew  up  a  repre- 
sentation of  their  grievances,  w^hich,  when  translated 
into  French,  (the  King  not  being  acquainted  with  Eng- 


284     INQUIRY  INTO  THE  STATE  OF  RELIGION.    [Ch.  XXII. 

lisb,)  was  presented  to  the  King,  who  seemed  sensibly 
concerned  by  its  contents,  and  while  denying  some  of 
their  requests  promptly  renewed  the  grant  of  the 
E-oyal  Bounty,  with  the  promise  of  an  increase  in  the 
amount. 

At  tlie  annual  meeting  of  the  83^  nod  at  Antrim,  the 
commissioners  reported  the  result  of  their  mission  to 
London,  which  greatly  encouraged  them  in  their  work. 
Their  missionary  operations  were  reported  as  being 
highly  successfal,  many  new  congregations  having 
been  gathered;  but  to  guard  against  their  unnecessary 
multiplication,  certain  rules  w^ere  prepared  as  a  guide 
in  future  ;  and  for  the  punctual  observance  of  them 
and  others  it  was  ordered  that  the  minutes  of  each 
Synod  should  be  furnished  to  each  Presbytery  by  the 
Synod's  clerk  and  read  publicly  before  the  Presbyte- 
ries, and  that  all  such  rules  and  orders  as  related  to 
their  own  affairs  should  be  inserted  in  their  minutes  ; 
and  the  sub-synods  were  charged,  when  revising  the 
books  of  the  several  Presbyteries  under  their  care,  to 
see  that  this  order  was  fully  obeyed. 

At  this  meeting,  while  considering  the  state  of  re- 
ligion in  the  provinces,  a  paper  was  submitted  by  a 
committee  entitled,  "An  Enquiry  into  the  State  of 
Eeligion,  the  Causes  of  its  Present  Decay,  with  some 
Proposals  for  Eeviving  it."  This  paper,  which  v/as 
altogether  practical  and  sound  in  its  doctrine,  unex- 
pectedly excited  an  opposition  in  some,  who  looked 
upon  it  as  underating  the  forms  of  worship  prevalent 
among  the  Presbyterians,  and  dealing  too  leniently 
with  the  rites  and  usages  of  the  Established  Church, 
and  it  w^as  withdrawn  without  receiving  the  sanction 
of  the  Synod. 


ni5.]  CRITICAL   STATE   OF  IRELAND.  285 

The  kingdom  was  now  in  a  very  critical  state.  The 
extreme  views  of  the  Higli  Church  party  were  boldly 
proclaim.ed,  and  even  in  Dublin  college  disloyal  toasts 
were  publicl}'  drunk,  and  seditious  writings  circulated  ; 
so  that,  on  fhe  advice  of  Archbishop  King,  the  election 
for  fellows  and  scholars  was  by  the  Crown  postponed 
for  this  year.  The  adherents  of  the  Pretender  had  be- 
gun to  bestir  themselves  in  EnGfland;  and  confidential 
agents  from  France  were  endeavoring  to  excite  the 
people,  both  in  Scotland  and  Ireland,  to  declare  in  his 
favor;  and  in  June  the  King  announced  to  the  English 
Parliament  that  certain  intelli2:ence  had  been  received 
of  an  intended  invasion  by  the  Pretender,  and  meas- 
ures were  taken  to  provide  against  it.  In  Ireland  the 
Lords  Justices  made  vigorous  efforts  to  place  the  coun- 
try in  a  state  of  defence  ;  especially  was  this  the  case  in 
Ulster,  where  it  was  supposed  the  first  attempted  land- 
ing would  be  made. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  was  at  this  time  placed  in 
a  very  embarrassing  position  by  the  proposal  to  call  out 
the  militia  of  the  province  in  defence  of  the  Crown. 
If  they  entered  the  militia  in  any  capacity  they  exposed 
themselves  to  the  penalties  of  non-conformity  under 
the  Sacramental  Test ;  if  they  refused  to  enter  they  ex- 
posed themselves  to  the  charge  of  basely  deserting 
their  sovereign  and  their  country  in  the  time  of  danger. 
In  this  dilemma  a  meeting  of  gentlemen  from  various 
parts  of  the  province  was  called,  to  assemble  in  Belfast 
the  first  week  in  August,  to  consider  what  course 
they  should  adopt  in  the  present  emergency.  At  this 
meeting  they  determined  to  defend  their  religion  and 
their  liberties  at  all  hazards,  and  to  brave  the  penalties 
of  the  law,  looking  to  government  for  future  pro  tec- 


286  IRISH   PARLIAMENT.  [Ch.  XXII 

tion.  This  determination  was  dispatched  to  the  Eng- 
lish government,  with  a  letter  from  William  Conollj, 
Esq.,  a  member  of  Parliament  from  the  county  of 
Derrj,  in  which  he  advised  that  the  proposals  of  the 
Protestant  Dissenters  be  accepted,  and  concludes — 
"  Thev  want  arms  and  ammunition  in  the  north,  and 
when  they  are  supplied  they  will  be  able  to  make  a 
noble  stand  against  the  Pretender  and  all  his  adher- 
ents." This  advice  was  immediately  acted  upon,  and 
an  assurance  given  that  at  an  early  meeting  of  the  Irish 
Parliament  steps  would  be  taken  to  protect  the  Pres- 
byterian officers  and  soldiers  from  the  penalties  of  the 
Test  Act. 

Affairs  in  Ireland  at  this  time  requiring  great  wis- 
dom in  the  rulers  the  government  superseded  the  Lords 
Justices  then  acting,  in  order  to  appoint  more  expe- 
rienced and  energetic  men  in  their  room.  And  accord- 
ingly, on  the  6th  of  September,  the  Duke  of  Grafton 
and  the  Earl  of  Galway,  a  general  in  the  Rnny,  were 
appointed,  and  on  the  1st  of  November  were  sworn 
into  office.  On  the  opening  of  the  Parliament  on  the 
12th  the  Whigs  were  again  largely  in  majority  in  the 
House  of  Commons,  and  Mr.  Conolly,  the  friend  of 
toleration,  was  elected  Speaker.  On  the  iSih,  pursuant 
to  the  promises  held  out  to  the  Presbyterians,  a  bill  was 
introduced  for  the  protection  of  the  Dissenters  who 
were  serving  in  the  army ;  and  while  it  was  under  dis- 
cussion Dr.  Tisdall,  for  the  purpose  of  defeating  it, 
published  another  violent  pamphlet,  which  appeared 
towards  the  close  of  November;  but,  notwithstanding 
his  sophistries  and  calumnies,  on  the  4th  of  February, 
1716,  the  bill  finally  passed,  and  was  laid  before  the 
Lords  Justices  to  be  transmitted  to  London. 


1716.]  ATTEMPT   TO   REPEAL   THE   TEST   ACT.  287 

As  soon  as  the  Bishops  received  intelligence  that 
this  bill  had  been  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Lords  Jus- 
tices, led  on  by  Archbishop  King,  tliey  took  steps  for 
the  defeat  of  even  the  partial  relief  from  the  Test  Act 
which  it  granted  to  Dissenters.  Accordingly,  on  the 
6th  of  February,  they  introduced  into  the  House  of 
Lords  a  similar  bill,  but  omitting  altogether  the  clause 
relating  to  the  test,  which  was  passed  by  that  body. 
The  Lords  Justices^  embarrassed  by  this  action,  sub- 
mitted both  bills  to  a  committee  of  the  Irish  Privy 
Council,  for  the  purpose  of  having  one  bill  made  out 
of  the  two,  which  they  might  transmit  to  England. 
At  the  same  time,  being  desirous  to  preserve  the 
clause  as  it  stood  in  favor  of  the  Presbyterians,  and 
knowing  the  pertinacity  with  which  the  Bishops  would 
adhere  to  their  own  bill,  they  applied  to  the  ministry 
in  England  for  permission  to  compromise  the  differ- 
ences between  the  two  Houses  by  continuing  the  ex- 
emption from  the  test  to  those  serving  in  the  regular 
army  during  the  existing  rebellion  only,  and  from  thence 
to  the  close  of  the  next  session  of  Parliament.  This  per- 
mission being  granted,  the  subject  was  brought  before 
the  Committee  of  the  Council.  The  clause  in  dispute 
consisted  of  three  parts :  first,  to  indemnify  the  Dissent- 
ers for  having  acted  in  the  militia  as  officers  ;  the  second 
to  make  them  capable  of  serving  in  the  militia  forever ; 
and  the  third  to  enable  them  to  bear  commissions  in 
the  army  for  ten  years.  After  some  debate  the  limita- 
tion, as  proposed  by  the  Lords  Justices  was  submitted 
to  the  whole  council,  and  carried  by  one  majority.  It 
was  immediately  transmitted  to  England,  and  returned 
with  the  sanction  of  the  Crown ;  but  in  what  form, 
whether  with  or  without  the  clause,  can  not  now  be 


288  CASE  OF  PORTER.  [Ch.  XXII. 

ascertained.  But  wlien  presented  to  the  Irish  Parlia- 
ment again  in  June,  after  passing  through  two  read- 
ings, it  was,  for  some  unaccountable  reason,  dropped, 
and  the  Test  Act  remained  in  full  force  against  the 
Presbyterians. 

Grreat  vigilance  now  became  necessary  on  account 
of  the  arrival  of  the  Pretender,  who  had  landed  in 
Scotland,  at  Aberdeen,  at  the  close  of  the  year.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  Lords  Justices  issued  proclamations,  re- 
quiring the  seizure  of  all  suspected  persons,  and  the 
exercise  of  great»watchfalness,  in  order  to  prevent  any 
movement  in  his  favor.  These  orders  were  strictly  ex- 
ecuted, especially  in  the  north,  where  the  adherents  of 
the  Earl  of  Antrim,  then  in  prison  in  Dublin  as  a  dis- 
affected person,  had  already  attempted  to  effect  a 
rising.  During  this  excitement  the  Rev.  John  Porter,  a 
Presbyterian  minister,  happening  to  be  present  at  the 
searching  of  the  house  of  an  Episcopal  clergyman,  was, 
at  the  instigation  of  Dr.  Tisdall,  arrested,  on  the 
grounds  that  he  and  the  Presbyterians  were,  as  a 
body,  taking  advantage  of  the  public  alarm  to  injure 
the  Episcopalians,  by  searching  their  houses  in  a  ma- 
licious and  irregular  manner.  This  case  was  brought 
before  the  grand  jury  and  the  court,  and  Porter  was 
unanimously  acquitted.  At  the  same  meeting  of  the 
court  Mr.  M'Cracken,  who  had  been  a  prisoner  for 
nearlv  two  vears  and  a  half,  was  liberated,  broken  down 
in  body  and  mind  by  his  persecutions. 

The  bill  in  favor  of  the  Presbyterians  having  been 
abandoned,  it  became  necessary  for  those  who  had 
entered  the  militia  and  army  to  decide  what  further 
course  to  pursue.  Accordingly,  a  meeting  of  gentlemen 
was  held  in  June,  and  resolved  that  those  who  held 


I'^IG.]  SYNOD  OF  1716.  289 

commissions  should  continue  in  the  service,  and  that 
if  any  were  prosecuted  on  this  account,  the  expense 
of  such  prosecution  should  be  defrayed  by  the  whole, 
and  that  at  the  proper  time  application  for  relief  should 
be  made. 

The  resolutions,  of  which  the  above  is  the  substance, 
were  laid  before  the  Synod  which  met  in  Belfast  on 
the  19th  of  June,  and  were  approved  by  them.  This 
Synod  was  the  largest  one  that  had  ever  convened  in 
Ireland,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  ten  ministers, 
and  eighty  elders.  This  numerous  attendance  was  oc- 
casioned by  the  action  which  was  anticipated  in  ref- 
erence to  the  terms  on  which  application  was  to  be 
made  to  government  for  a  Toleration  Act.  The  re- 
solutions which  were  adopted  in  1714  had  proceeded 
from  a  private  source,  and  it  became  necessary  for 
some  action  to  be  taken  by  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
Church.  The  first  step  of  the  S\mod  was  to  consider 
the  two  resolutions  which  had  been  formerly  agreed  to. 
The  first  of  them,  laying  down  subscriptions  to  the 
Westminster  Confession,  as  the  ground  on  which  they 
sought  toleration,  was  unanimously  adopted.  And  the 
second  resolution,  or  the  alternative,  was  also  adopted 
with  a  slight  amendment.  This  subject  beiug  disposed 
of,  the  Synod  adopted  an  address  to  the  King,  congratu- 
lating him  on  the  defeat  of  the  Pretender  and  the  sup- 
pression of  the  late  rebellion. 

The  Presbyterians  having  failed  in  securing  the  re- 
moval of  the  Test,  were  nevertheless  greatly  encouraged 
by  the  action  of  the  House  of  Commons,  who  to  neu- 
tralize, so  far  as  lay  in  their  power,  the  triumph  of  the 
Bishops,  resolved,  nemine  coidradicenie^  "That  such  of 

his  Majesty's  Protestant  dissenting  subjects  as  have 

13 


290      PEE  ACHING  IN   THE  NATIVE   TONGUE.     [Ch.  XXII. 

taken  commissioDS  in  the  militia,  or  acted  in  tlie  com- 
mission of  array,  have  hereby  done  a  seasonable  service 
to  his  Majesty's  royal  person  and  government  and  the 
Protestant  interest  in  this  kingdom."  This  resolution 
was  fortified  by  another,  which  was  passed  without  a 
division,  in  the  face  of  the  High  Church  opposition  : 
"Eesolved,  That  any  person  who  shall  commence  a 
prosecution  against  any  Dissenter  who  has  acccepted 
or  shall  accept  a  commission  in  the  army  or  militia,  is  an 
enemy  to  King  George  and  the  Protestant  interest,  and 
a  friend  to  tlie  Pretender."  The  Presbyterians,  thus 
protected  by  the  House  of  Commons,  their  endow- 
ments restored  and  freedom  of  religious  action  practi- 
cally enjoyed,  were  enabled  to  prosecute  their  work 
with  more  vigor. 

In  the  Synod  the  project  of  preaching  to  the  Irish  in 
their  native  tongue,  which  had  been  interrupted  by 
political  troubles,  was  again  under  consideration,  and 
it  was  resolved  unanimously  to  encourage  this  excel- 
lent design.  Ministers  understanding  the  Irish  lan- 
guage were  appointed  to  preach  in  succession  in  vari- 
ous districts,  schools  were  erected,  and  orders  given 
for  printing  new  editions  of  the  catechism,  "and  a  short 
grammar,  in  the  Irish  tongue.  The  Synod,  in  1717,  re- 
ceiving such  a  favorable  report  from  the  ministers  en- 
gaged in  this  service,  adopted  a  resolution  to  continue 
the  work  which  had  been  so  signally  blessed.  In  car- 
rying out,  during  the  previous  year,  the  plans  for  Irish 
preaching,  it  was  found  that  two  of  the  frontier  Pres- 
byteries, within  whose  bounds  were  the  greatest  num- 
ber of  Romanists  speaking  the  Irish  language,  consisted 
of  too  many  congregations ;  and  that  their  members 
were  so  widely  scattered  as  to  render  it  dif&cult  for 


1719.]  NE"^    PRESBYTERIES   FORMED.  291 

them  to  fulfil  their  Presbyterial  appointments.  They 
therefore  divided  each  of  these  Presbyteries  into  two. 
Out  of  Monaghan  was  formed  Another  and  Lono-ford, 
but  six  years  afterward  they  were  reunited  ;  and  Con- 
voy was  divided  into  the  Presbyteries  of  Strabane  and 
Letterkenny.  There  were,  therefore,  now  eleven  Pres- 
byteries, having  under  their  care  one  hundred  and 
forty  congregations,  twenty  of  which  were  aided  by 
the  missionary  funds. 

While  the  Presbyteries  were  thus  engaged  in  dif- 
fusing the  truth  they  renewed  their  efforts  to  secure 
their  legal  rights.     The  plans  of  government  were  as 
yet  in  such  an  unsettled  state  that  they  deemed  it  in- 
expedient to  bring  the  subject  before  the  Irish  Parlia- 
ment, but  at  a  meeting  of  laymen  and  ministers  from 
all  parts  of  the  county,  held  at  Newry,  a  deputation, 
consisting  of  the  Keverend  Messrs.  Boyse  and  Chop- 
pin,  and  Mr.  Walter  Stevens  of  Dublin,  and  the  Eev- 
erend  Samuel  Haliday  from  the  north,  were  sent  to 
London ;   who  on  their  return  reported  the  gratifying 
fact  that  the  King,  in  concurrence  with  his  ministers, 
had  placed  on  the  civil  list  for  England,  the  sum  of 
eight  hundred  pounds  a  year,  as  an  augmentation  of 
the  Eoyal  Bounty,  to  be  paid  quarterly,  commencing 
at  the  end  of  the  current  year.     One-half  of  this  sum 
was  to  be  paid  to  the  Synod  of  Ulster,  and   the  other 
half  to  the  ministers  in  Dublin  and  the  south. 

During  the  year  1719,  the  missionary  operations  of 
the  Synod  were  in  a  highly  prosperous  condition, 
They  were  cheered  by  expressions  of  sympathy,  and 
by  donations  and  legacies  from  England  Publications 
in  the  Irish  language  were  freely  circulated  ;  ibe  num- 
ber of  ministers  preaching  in  that  language  was  greatly 


292         BILL   FOK  RELIEF   OF   DISSENTERS.  [Ch.  XXIL 

increased,  and  their  political  concerns  seemed  for  a 
time  to  be  forgotten  in  their  zeal  for  the  propagation 
of  the  gospel. 

The  Synod  of  1719  had  just  concluded  its  sittings 
in  Belfast  when  the  Irish  Parliament  commenced  theirs 
in  Dublin,  being  opened  by  the  Duke  of  Bolton,  the 
present  Lord  Lieutenant.  Soon  after  their  opening, 
the  draft  of  a  bill  for  the  relief  of  the  Irish  Dissenters 
was  received  from  England.  This  liberal-minded  pol- 
icy of  the  King  was  coldly  received  by  the  Lord 
Lieutenant,  but  being  obliged  to  do  something  for  the 
relief  of  the  Presbyterians,  leave  was  obtained  in  the 
Commons  on  the  4th  of  July  to  introduce  the  heads 
of  a  bill  "  for  rendering  the  Protestant  Dissenters  more 
capable  of  supporting  the  Protestant  interests  of  the 
kinofdom."  The  several  clauses  of  this  bill  were  not 
fally  settled,  but  referred  to  the  Presbyterian  mem- 
bers of  the  House  to  say  what  was  the  precise  amount 
of  relief  they  claimed.  This  step  alarmed  the  High 
Church  party,  and  on  the  6th  they  brought  in  a  coun- 
ter bill,  embracing  nothing  more  than  a  bare  toleration 
for  dissenting  worship.  Tliis  bill  was  advocated  by 
the  son  of  Lord  Chancellor  Brodrick,  the  chief  law 
officer  of  the  Crown  in  the  House  of  Commons,  which 
was  a  pretty  significant  indication  of  the  lukewarm- 
ness  of  the  Irish  ofhcials  in  carrying  out  the  policy  of 
their  Sovereign.  On  the  14th  of  July  the  Commons 
went  into  committee  on  this  High  Church  bill,  and 
after  votins:  down  many  amendments  which  were 
offered  for  the  relief  of  Dissenters,  it  was  passed,  and 
according  to  the  usual  course  of  Irish  legislation  was 
brought  before  the  Lord  Lieutenant  and  Council  to  be 


l'^19]    AECHBISHOPS   PLAN   TO   DEFEAT   THE   BILL.      29 


adjusted  in  its  details  before  being  transmitted  to  Eng- 
land. 

In  tbe  discussion  of  this  bill  in  the  Privy  Council 
Archbishop  King  made  every  effort  to  have  some 
clauses  inserted  still  further  curtailing  the  liberty  of 
Dissenters,  but  failed  to  accomplish  his  purpose.  De- 
feated in  this,  he  resorted  to  the  same  expedient  which 
he  had  adopted  in  1716  for  the  defeat  of  the  Test  Act, 
which  was  then  successful.  He  obtained  leave  in  the 
House  of  Lords  to  bring  in  heads  of  a  bill  which  was 
an  exact  counterpart  of  the  English  act,  and  which 
he  wished  passed  and  transmitted  to  England  before 
the  English  ministry  had  completed  their  revision  of 
the  Commons  bill,  but  he  failed  in  accomplishing  this 
by  the  House  taking  a  recess  of  six  weeks,  and  it  was 
not  until  September  that  the  bill  had  passed  through 
all  the  forms  of  the  House  of  Lords,  and  before  it 
could  be  sent  to  England  the  Commons'  bill  had  been 
returned  under  the  great  seal,  which  closed  the  door 
against  the  Archbishop's  bill. 

On  the  3d  of  October  the  bill,  as  received  from 
England,  was  laid  upon  the  table  of  the  House  of  Com- 
mons and  read  for  the  first  time.  An  additional  clause 
had  been  added  by  the  English  ministers,  '^  enabling 
all  Presbyterians  who  might  be  prosecuted  for  non- 
conformity, and  who  had  not  taken  the  oaths  as 
required  for  their  protection  under  this  act,  to  qualify 
by  taking  these  oaths  during  the  progress  of  any  such 
prosecution,  and  upon  their  so  qualifying  themselves, 
in  compliance  with  this  act,  every  such  prosecution 
was  to  cease."  In  this  form  the  bill  finally  passed  the 
House  of  Commons  on  the  16th  of  October,  and  on 
the  same  day  was  read  for  the  first  time  in  the  House 


294         PARLIAMENT  PASSES  A  RELIEF  BILL.    [Ch.  XXII 

of  Lords.  No  opposition  was  made  to  it  until  the 
22d,  wlien  the  House  was  in  committee  on  the  bill,  but 
after  a  long  debate  it  was  passed,  six  Bishops  voting 
in  the  afS.rmative.  On  the  2d  of  November  this  bill, 
entitled,  "An  act  for  exempting  the  Protestant  Dis- 
senters of  this  kingdom  from  certain  penalties  to  which 
they  are  now  subject,"  received  the  royal  assent. 

The   exemption   secured  by  this  act  was  more  in 
name  than  in  reality — it  conferred  a  privilege  in  law 
rather  than  in  fact.     And  of  so  little  value  was  it,  that 
there   is  reason  to   believe   that   very  few   ministers 
availed  themselves  of  its  provisions.     Meagre  and  un- 
suitable as  it  is,  it  continues  to  be  the  charter  of  relig- 
ion liberty  to  the  Presbyterians  in  Ireland,  while  at 
the  same  time  it  continues  to  be  little   more  than  an 
obsolete  statute.     The  same  enlightened  public  opin- 
ions which  so   generally  protected  Presbyterians  in 
their  worship  before  the  passing  of  the  act,  has  con- 
tinued to  do  so  ever  since  independently  of  its  provis- 
ions.    The  only  other  favor  shown  to  the  Presbyte- 
rians by  the  Parliament  was  the  passage  of   a  bill 
extending  the  time  during  which  they  might  qualify 
by  taking  the  Sacramental  Test  to  the  25th  of  March 
following.     And  even   this  did  not  originate  in   the 
Irish  Parliament,  but  was  sent  over  from  England  and 
laid  before  them  in  October.     It  received  the  royal 
assent  on  the  same  day  with  the  Toleration  Act. 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

1719-1726. 

Thus  far  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Ulster  had  been 
perfectly  conformed  to  that  of  Scotland,  where  many  of 
the  ministers  were  trained  and  licensed,  although  some 
of  them  finished  their  course  at  Leyden.  The  first 
change  may  be  dated  from  the  settlement  at  Antrim^  in 
1703,  of  the  Kev.  John  Abernethy,  a  native  of  Tyrone, 
where  his  father  was  a  Presbyterian  minister,  and 
trained  at  Grlasgow  and  Edinburg,  licensed  in  1702, 
and  called  to  assist  Embyn  (or  Emlyn),  Boyse's  assist- 
ant, in  Dublin,  who  liad  been  deposed  for  Arian- 
ism.  But  Abernethy  was  advised  by  his  father,  who 
died  soon  after,  to  settle  in  the  north,  where  he  soon 
became  distinguished  for  activity  and  piety.  In  1705 
he  became  the  founder  of  an  association  of  ministers 
for  theological  improvement,  called,  from  its  place  of 
meeting,  the  Belfast  Society.  Its  members  at  first  were 
young  men,  and  in  course  of  time  they  rose  to  be  the 
most  influential  ministers  in  the  Synod.  Two  of  the 
number  had  been  fellow-students  and  correspondents 
of  Professor  Simpson  of  Glasgow,  disciplined  as  a  Pel- 
agian, and  finally  an  Arian,  and  several  of  the  younger 
were  his  pupils. 

These  men,  without  avowing  any  such  opinions,  be- 
gan to  preach  latitudinarian  views  as  to  church  author- 
ity, creeds,  and  confessions,  and  the  right  of  private 


296  BELFAST   SOCIETY.  [Cn.  XXTTT. 

judgment;  holding  tbat  a  sinner's  acceptance  witli 
God  depends  not  on  tbe  atonement  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  but  on  his  own  personal  sincerity  ;  that  belief 
in  any  positive  doctrine  is  non-essential ;  that  error,  if 
not  wilful,  is  innocent ;  and  particularlj^  that  to  require 
from  any  man  subscription  to  a  creed  drawn  up  by 
men  is  at  variance  with  the  principles  of  Christian  lib- 
erty. This  excited  a  suspicion  of  more  serious  errors 
in  some  of  their  more  intelligent  contemporaries,  such 
as  Francis  Hutcheson,  son  of  the  member  of  Parlia- 
ment at  Armagh,  and  afterwards  professor  of  moral 
philosojDhy  at  Glasgow,  in  which  he  was  followed  by 
Adam  Smith,  and  Eeid.  He  describes  a  '^  Hoadly 
mania"  as  existing,  fostered  by  the  works  of  Hoadly  and 
Clark,  and  by  intercourse  with  the  nominally  Presby- 
terian, but  really  Independent  ministers  of  Dublin. 
The  first  public  announcement  of  these  novel  opinions 
was  in  a  sermon  j^reached  by  Abernethy  before  the  So- 
ciety, on  the  9th  of  December,  1719,  and  subsequently 
published  under  the  title,  "  Eeligious  Obedience  Founded 
on  Personal  Obedience."  In  this  discourse  the  preacher 
inculcated  various  erroneous  sentiments  ;  among  others, 
that  the  sole  rule  of  faith  and  practice  to  a  man  is  his 
own  persuasion  of  what  is  right ;  that  if  a  man  walk 
according  to  his  ovv^n  persuasions,  it  would  be  wrong 
to  exclude  him  from  Church  fellowship  on  the  ground 
of  mere  doctrinal  differences;  and  that  error  is  not 
culpable  if  cherished  by  one  who  made  a  sufficient 
search  for  truth. 

This  production  of  Abernethy  was  answered  by  the 
Rev.  John  Malcom,  minister  of  Dunmurry,  in  which 
he  pointed  out  the  dangerous  nature  of  the  views  pro- 
pounded by  Abernethy,  calling  them  "  new  lights" — 


1720.]  THE   SYNOD   IN   DOUBT.  297 

an  epithet  by  wliich  the}'  were  bencefortli  designated. 
This  pamphlet  of  Malcom's  drew  forth  an  answer  from 
the  Belfast  Society,  giving  the  origin  of  their  views, 
denying  that  they  are  novel,  defending  Abernethy's 
doctrine  of  personal  persuasion,  which  they  say  Mr. 
Malcom  has  mistaken,  and  declaring  their  "fervent 
desire  to  live  in  love  and  in  constant  communion"  wiih 
their  brethren. 

These  publications,  together  with  the  hostility  of 
some  to  subscribe  the  Westminster  Confession,  created 
great  uneasiness  throughout  the  province.  This  was 
increased  by  the  circulation  of  private  letters  among 
the  ministers,  in  Avhich  the  Deity  of  Christ  was  denied 
to  be  a  fundamental  doctrine.  It  became  necessary, 
therefore,  that  the  Synod  should  consider  what  course 
to  pursue  in  this  emergency.  Three  different  courses 
were  open  to  them  ;  either  to  separate  at  once  from 
these  innovating  brethren,  or  to  permit  them  to  remain  ; 
but,  at  the  same  time,  to  adhere  to  the  existing  laws 
with  firmness  in  the  admission  of  ministers,  so  that 
those  holding  similar  views  might  be  excluded ;  or, 
lastly,  to  alter  the  terms  of  admission,  in  order  to 
adapt  them  to  the  scruples  of  these  brethren,  and  thus 
prevent  a  schism  in  the  Church.  Unfortunately  the 
last  of  these  courses  was  adopted  by  the  Synod,  under 
the  advice  of  her  most  experienced  ministers,  which 
resulted  in  a  controversy  that  agitated  the  whole 
Church,  and  was  maintained  hotly  in  the  Synod  and 
through  the  press  for  some  years  afterwards. 

The  questions  in  controversy,  when  they  came  be- 
fore the  Synod,  turned  mainly  on  the  propriety  of  re- 
quiring licentiates  and  ministers  to  subscribe  the  West- 
minster Confession  of  Faith,  as  had  hitherto  been  the 

13* 


298  CASE   OF  HALIDAY.  [Ch.  XXIII. 

practice  ;  the  majority  contending  that  the  church  had 
a  right  thus  to  test  the  doctrinal  soundness  of  all  her 
pastors,  while  the  members  of  the  Belfast  Society  op- 
posed subscription,  not,  they  said,  because  tbey  disbe- 
lieved any  doctrines  of  the  ConfessioD,  but  because  a 
compulsory  subscription  to  any  human  creed  whatever 
was,  in  their  opinion,  inconsistent  v/ith  the  right  of 
private  judgment,  and  with  libertj'  of  conscience. 

This  Synod  which  met  in  Belfast  in  June,  1720,  was 
the  first  whicli  took  public  cognizance  of  this  matter. 
It  was  composed  of  one  hundred  and  fifteen  ministers 
and  eighty-six  elders,  and  was  opened  with  a  sermon 
by  the  Eev.  Eobert  Craghead,  of  Dublin.  Tlie  first 
subject  connected  with  this  controversy  which  engaged 
their  attention  was  the  case  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Hali- 
day,  who  had  been  accused  before  the  Presbytery  of 
Belfast,  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  Dunlop,  of  holding  Arian 
sentiments.  The  Synod,  after  a  full  investigation  of 
the  case,  found  Mr.  Haliday  innocent,  and  rebuked  Mr. 
Dunlop  for  rash  and  imprudent  behaviour.  Having 
done  this  act  of  justice,  their  attention  was  directed  to 
measures  which  might  allay  the  apprehension  into 
which  the  body  of  the  people  had  been  plunged  by  re- 
cent events.  Their  first  measure  was  the  adoption  of 
what  is  called  the  Pacific  Act,  which,  while  it  professed 
to  adhere  to  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith,  and 
renewed  the  law  enjoining  subscription  to  it,  concluded 
by  legalizing  the  practice  of  receiving  explanations  of 
objectionable  phrases,  and  thus  sanctioned  and  en- 
couraged further  departures  from  it.  By  other  acts 
the  Synod  enjoined  the  silence  of  the  ministers  for  a 
year  as  to  controverted  points,  but  recommended  the 
preaching  of  the  great  Calvinistic  doctrines,  and  de- 


^ '20-21.]  THE   PACIFIC   ACT.  299 

precated  suspicion  on  the  part  of  the  people.  It  was 
confidently  believed  that  all  causes  of  offence  had  now- 
been  removed^  and  concord  and  mutual  confidence  re- 
stored to  the  Church. 

Before  the  meeting  of  the  next  Synod  the  agitation 
was  renewed,  by  a  deliberate  violation  of  tha  Pacific 
Act  by  the  very  party  for  whom  it  had  been  expressly 
enacted.     Haliday,  whose  installation  was  fixed  for  the 
28th  of  of  July,  refused  to  avail  himself  of  the  provi- 
sions of  this  act,  or   to  subscribe   the  Confession  of 
Faith  in  any  form,  and  offered  to  the  Presbytery  an 
unsatisfactory  declaration  of  his  fxith,  as  being  all  that 
the  Church  had  a  right  to  demand.     Through  the  in- 
fluence of  Mr.  Kirkpatrick  and  the  other  members  of 
Presbytery  who  belonged  to  the  Belfast  society,  Mr. 
Haliday  was  installed.     Four  members  of  Presbytery- 
protested  against  this  act,  and  appealed  to  the  sub- 
synod  of  Belfast.     In   the  alarm   occasioned  by  this 
action  it  was  proposed  to  call  a  special  meeting  of  the 
General  Synod  ;  but  it  was  prevented  by  the  interfer- 
ence of  the  Belfast  Society,  alleging  that  such  a  course 
would  only  increase  the  ferment  in  the  Church,  and 
that  the  case    might   be  safely  left  to   the  ordinary 
course  of  discipline. 

A  letter  of  vindication  published  by  the  Belfast  So- 
ciety at  this  time,  appeared  to  have  no  effect  in  dissi- 
pating the  alarm  which  existed  throughout  the  prov- 
ince, and  the  meeting  of  the  sub-synod  of  Belfast  was 
anxiously  awaited,  in  the  hope  that  the  law  of  the 
Church,  which  had  been  so  openly  violated,  would 
then  be  vindicated.  This  Synod  met  in  January,  1721, 
and  pronounced  the  installation  of  Mr.  Haliday  con- 
trary to  the  act  of  the  General  Sjniod.     Upon  the  re- 


800  PUBLIC   ANXIETY.  [Cii.  XXIII. 

turn  of  Mr.  Halidaj,  who  was  in  London  during  the 
meeting  of  the  Synod,  the  Presbytery  called  upon  him 
to  comply  with  the  law  of  the  Church,  by  subscribing 
the  Confession  in  the  usual  form,  which  he  again  reso- 
lutely refusing  to  do,  the  case  was  laid  over  until  the 
meeting  of  the  General  Synod.  During  these  unhappy 
difficulties  a  friendly  correspondence  was  carried  on 
between  the  Eev.  Grilbert  Kennedy,  the  moderator  of 
the  Synod,  and  Mr.  Abernethy  ;  in  which  Mr.  Kennedy 
argued  the  question  of  subscription  with  great  ability, 
and  in  the  course  of  which  he  obtained  some  impor- 
tant admissions  from  Mr.  Abernethy,  which  well  nigli 
conceded  the  point  in  dispute. 

In  the  midst  of  the  anxiety  which  now  prevailed, 
the  Synod  held  its  annual  meeting  at  Belfast.  Memo- 
rials Avere  received  from  seventeen  congregations  in 
Ulster,  asking  that,  in  order  to  remove  the  present  ap- 
prehension, all  the  members  of  the  Synod,  and  all  in- 
ferior judicatories  of  the  Church,  be  required  to  subscribe 
the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith,  as  the  confession  of 
their  faith.  In  the  unusual  circumstances  in  which  they 
were  placed,  the  Synod,  in  order  to  vindicate  itself  from 
the  charge  of  denying  the  divinity  of  Christ,  passed  a 
resolution  declaring  their  belief  in  this  funda.nental 
doctrine,  and  their  purpose  to  proceed  against  all  who 
denied  it.  Tliis  resolution  was  opposed  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Belfast  Society,  as  infringing  upon  their 
cardinal  principles  of  religious  liberty.  They  took 
this  course  not  because  they  denied  the  divinity  of 
Christ,  but  because  they  were  opposed  to  all  authori- 
tative human  decisions  as  tests  of  orthodoxy.  They 
also  distinguished  between  the  truth  of  the  doctrine  of 
the  Saviour's  Deity,  which  they  professed  to  hold,  and 


1721.]  SUBSCRIBERS  AND  NON-SUBSCRIBERS.  301 

its  being  an  essential  or  fuadamental  doctrine  of  the 
gospel,  tlie  belief  of  which  was  necessary  to  Christian 
or  ministerial  communion,  which  thej  denied — a  doc- 
trine which,  if  carried  out  in  harmony  with  their  doc- 
trine of  personal  persuasion,  prepared  them  for  admit- 
ting to  the  ordinances,  and  even  the  ministry  of  the 
Church,  an  Arian  or  Socinian. 

To  calm  the  fears  that  existed  in  the  church,  another 
measure  was  proposed,  namely :  not  to  enjoin,  but  to 
permit  all  who  were  willing  to  do  so  to  subscribe  the 
Westminister  Confession  of  Faith.  After  a  long  de- 
bate this  measure  was  carried,  and  the  Confession  was 
subscribed  by  most  of  the  members,  who  were  from 
this  time  designated  as  Subscribers,  and  those  who  re- 
fused, Non-Subscribers,  all  of  whom  were  members  of 
the  Belfast  Society,  although  afterwards  some  of  these 
subscribed,  among  whom  was  Thomas  Maclaine, 
the  father  of  the  well-know  translator  of  Mosheim's 
Institutes.  This  Synod,  in  view  of  the  difficulties 
occasioned  by  the  case  of  Mr.  Halida}^,  passed  three 
overtures  for  the  rendering  of  the  Pacific  Act  more 
effectual.  It  was  provided  in  these  overtures  that  no 
person  should  be  licensed,  ordained,  or  installed  without 
the  concurrence  of  two  thirds  of  the  Presb\^tery  then 
present;  secondly,  that  should  any  single  person  protest 
against  such  license,  ordination,  or  installation,  further 
proceedings  therein  should  be  arrested  until  the  next 
Synod;  and  thirdly,  that  should  the  Pacific  Act  be 
again  violated*,  the  presiding  minister  should  be  sus- 
pended at  the  discretion  of  the  Synod. 

The  Synod  had  hardly  adjourned  before  a  paper 
war  was  begun  by  the  Reverend  William  Dugud,  and 
continued  by  Dunlop,  Kennedy,  Malcom  and   Clerk 


302         ADVICE   OF  THE  SCOTCH   ASSEMBLY.     [Ch-  XXIIL 

for  tlie  Subscribers,  and  hj  Kirkpatrick  and  Abernetliy 
for  the  Non-Subscribers.  Through  the  influence  of 
these  publications  the  people  were  now  engaged  on 
both  sides  of  the  conflict,  and  the  subscribing  ministers 
themselves  began  to  differ  as  to  the  future  policy  of 
the  Synod.  In  this  state  of  doubt  advice  was  sought 
from  the  Scottish  Church,  and  in  the  Spring  of  1722 
letters  were  written  to  the  leading:  ministers  in  Scot- 
land, "  asking  the  opinion  of  the  General  Assembly  on 
the  question  of  Subscription.  They  received  an  an- 
swer in  favor  of  maintaining  subscription  to  the  West- 
minister Confession  of  Faith,  and  that  as  majorities 
govern,  those  opposed  should  be  willing  to  submit  to 
their  decision,  and  if  the  Non-Subscribers  cannot  con- 
scientiously follow  this  course,  they  should  claim  no 
voice  in  the  judicatories,  but  should  withdraw,  leaving 
the  Church  courts  to  act  as  heretofore  upon  Presbyterian 
principles ;  at  the  same  time  they  were  advised  to  hold 
ministerial  communion  with  those  who  should  thus 
withdraw. 

Before  the  meeting  of  the  approaching  Synod  a 
paper  was  circulated  calling  upon  Protestant  Dissen- 
ters to  set  apart  a  day  of  humiliation  and  prayer  in 
view  of  their  baokslidino-s  and  divisions.  Owinoj  to 
an  insult  which  had  been  offered  to  the  last  Synod  hi 
Belfast  by  the  partisans  of  the  Belfast  Society,  it  re- 
solved to  hold  its  next  meeting  at  Derry,  and  it  was 
nearly  half  a  century  before  it  returned  to  Belfast. 
At  this  meeting  the  proposal  was  made,  according  to 
the  advice  received  from  Scotland,  to  exclude  all  min- 
isters who  would  not  subscribe  the  Westminister  Con- 
fession of  Faith,  or  at  least  the  fifth  and  sixth  ques- 
tions in  the  Shorter  Catechism.     This  proposal  alarmed 


1722.]  TROUBLES   IN   THE   SYNOD.  308 

the  more  moderate  Subscribers,  and  they  drew  up  a 
paper  earnestly  desiring  the  meeting  to  drop  all  further 
debates  on  subscription.  These  counter  proposals 
were  referred  to  a  committee,  who  brought  in  a  series 
of  five  resolutions,  which  were  adopted  by  the  Synod. 
By  the  first  of  them  it  was  resolved,  that  "the  declar- 
ing articles  of  faith  in  Scripture  words  only  shall  not 
be  accepted  as  a  sufi&cient  evidence  of  a  person's  sound  - 
ness  in  the  faith."  By  the  second,  the  Synod  resolved, 
"  most  constantly  and  firmly  to  adhere  to  the  West- 
minister Confession  of  Faith  ; "  and  bv  the  third,  "  to 
maintain  the  Presbyterian  government  and  discipline 
as  hitherto  exercised."  The  fourth  expressed  their 
desire  to  ^'exercise  Christian  forbearance  toward  the 
Non-Subscribers  so  long  as  they  governed  themselves 
according  to  the  acts  of  the  Synod  and  did  not  dis- 
turb the  peace  of  the  church  ;  "  and  by  the  last,  they 
*'  earnestly  and  most  seriously  exhort  the  people  un- 
der the  ministry  of  the  No n -Subscribers  to  condescend 
so  far  as  their  consciences  allow  them  in  adhering  to 
their  pastors."  Notwithstanding  an  able  protest  en- 
tered by  four  of  the  ministers,  the  leading  men  of  all 
parties  were  sanguine  of  the  good  result  which  would 
flow  from  this  action. 

But  these  hopes  were  soon  blasted  by  a  collision  of 
parties  in  Belfast,  respecting  a  newly  erected  church 
in  that  town.  Mr.  Samuel  Smith,  an  eminent  mer- 
chant in  Belfast,  had  visited  Scotland  for  the  purpose 
of  collecting  funds  for  completing  the  building,  in 
which  he  was  successful,  and  at  the  meeting  of  the 
sub- Synod,  in  January,  he  had  applied  for  a  recom- 
mendation to  visit  the  eastern  part  of  Scotland  for  the 
same  purpose.     This  application  was  opposed  by  Mr. 


304  CASE   OF   COLONEL   UPTON.  [Ch.  XXYL 

Haliday  and  the  Kon-Sabscribing  party.  In  the  de- 
bate whicli  sprung  up  Mr.  Haliday  referred  to  a  letter 
of  Professor  Simpson,  in  wliicb  lie  alleged  that  Smith, 
when  in  Glasgo^Y,  bad  said  that  although  he  did  not 
suspect  the  Non-Subscribers  of  Arianism,  he  feared 
they  maintained  principles  which  might  be  dangerous 
to  the  Church.  Mr.  Smith  demanded  that  this  letter 
should  be  produced,  which  Haliday  declined  to  do. 
This  excited  Colonel  Upton,  an  elder  of  Templepat- 
rick,  and  a  member  of  Parliament,  to  reph^,  that 
Avhether  Mr.  Smith  had  used  the  words  attributed  to 
him  or  not  they  were  true.  This  led  to  a  warm  de- 
bate, after  which  a  resolution  was  passed,  (most  of  the 
subscribing  ministers  having  left,)  that  Colonel  Upton 
had  not  made  good  his  charges  against  them  ;  where- 
upon he  appealed  to  the  General  Sjaiod. 

The  conduct  of  the  Non-Subscribers  in  this  case  con- 
tributed more  than  any  other  single  event  to  acceler- 
ate the  schism  which  afterwards  occurred.  Imme- 
diately after  the  meeting,  Mr.  Smith  and  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Livingston  proceeded  to  Sco'Jand,  where  they 
spent  three  months  making  collections.  And  although 
their  adversaries  in  Belfast  had  printed  a  pamphlet  for 
the  purpose  of  prejudicing  the  Scots  against  them,  and 
Mr.  Kirk|)atrick  and  Halidaj^  had  published  a  letter  in 
Edinburs:,  endeavorino;  to  involve  all  who  assisted  the 
new  congregation  in  the  guilt  of  schism,  yet  the  depu- 
tation returned  to  Belfast  well  satisfied  with  the  result 
of  their  mission. 

The  Belfast  Society  again  appeared  before  the  pub- 
lic in  a  pamphlet,  in  answer  to  the  one  published  by  Mr. 
Clerk,  in  June,  1722.  Mr.  Clerk  answered  them  in  a 
paper  which  appeared  about  a  month  before  the  meet- 


1723.1  CASE   OF   COLONEL   UPTON.  305 

ing  of  the-  Synod  of  1T23,  which  the  Belfast  Society 
considered  as  only  aggravating  the  original   offence, 
and  they  gave  him  notice  that  they  would  prefer  a  for- 
mal charge  against  him  for  calumny  and  misrepresen- 
tation at  the  approaching  Synod.   The  eyes  of  all  were 
now  turned  to  this  Synod,  which  met  at  Bungannon 
about  the  middle  of  June,  on  account  of  Colonel  Up- 
ton's appeal  from  the  Non-Subscribers'  decision,  and 
the  charges  of  the  Belfast  Society  again.st  Mr.  Clerk, 
which  were  to  be  acted  upon.    The  Synod  was  opened 
with  a  sermon  by  the  Kev.  Kobert  Kennedy,  and  Rev. 
Mr.    Masterton, '  of    Belfast,    was    chosen    moderator. 
Eleven  days  of   the  Synod  were  occupied  with    the 
trial  of  Colonel  Upton's  appeal  ;  and  when  in  his  ar- 
gument he  quoted  the  two  pamphlets  which  he  bad 
introduced  in  the  sub-Synod,  namely,   "  The  Vindica- 
tion," edited  by  Dr.  Ferguson,   and  the   "Good  Old 
Way,"  the  Non-Subscribers,  to  the  surprise  of  all,  re- 
fused to  admit  these  works  as  theirs,  and  the  further 
progress  of  the  trial  was  at  once  arrested  and  post- 
poned to  the  next  annual  meeting.     But  the  Synod 
passed  some  resolutions  afarming  the  principles  main- 
tained by  Colonel  Upton,  "that  the  condemniug  all 
creeds  and  confessions  and  declarations  of  faith  in  hu- 
man works  as  tests  of  Orthodoxy  opens  a  door  to  let 
in  errors  and  heresies  into  the  Church,"  and  condemn- 
ing the  ''  Vindication,"  edited  by  Dr.  Ferguson,  as  being 
dangerous  and  pernicious  in  its  tendency,  and  declar- 
ing that  its  authors  and  dispersers  were  disturbers  of 
the  peace  of  the  Church.      The  charge  against  Mr. 
Clerk  was  abandoned  by  the  Belfast  Society,  and  thus 
the  controversy  was  closed  in  this  Synod. 

A  breach  of  communion  between  the  Subscribers 


806  KIRKPATRICK   AND   HALLIDAY.  [Ch.  XXIII 

and  the  !N"on-Subscribers  now  became  imminent.  And 
the  Non-Subscribers  became  more  and  more  violent 
and  unscrupulous,  both  from  the  pulpit  and  the  press. 

After  the  minutes  of  this  Synod  had  been  distributed 
Messrs.  Kirkpatrick  and  Haliday,  at  a  public  assem- 
bly of  their  congregations,  spoke  against  the  Synod  for 
treating  their  party  with  the  greatest  injustice,  and  ex- 
pressed their  determination  to  maintain  their  princi- 
ples in  spite  of  their  condemnation  by  the  Supreme 
Court.  The  friends  of  the  Synod  indiscreetly  brought 
this  subject  before  the  standing  committee,  and  a  sharp 
discussion  ensued,  ending  in  an  order  for  the  Belfast 
Presbytery  to  meet  immediately  and  summon  witnesses 
who  could  give  information  on  matters  of  fact  to  be 
presented  to  the  General  Synod.  The  N"on-Subscribers, 
having  a  majority  in  this  Presbytery,  instead  of  follow- 
ing the  direction  of  the  Synod's  committee,  appointed 
a  day  on  which  Messrs.  Kirkpatrick  and  Haliday  were 
to  repeat  before  the  Presbytery  and  their  congrega- 
tions all  that  they  had  formerly  said.  Accordingly 
they  met  an  immense  concourse,  and  Mr.  Kirkpatrick, 
in  a  speech  of  nine  hours'  length,  entered  into  a  defence 
of  Non-Subscribing  principles,  followed  by  Mr.  Hali- 
day in  a  brief  speech.  Thus,  through  the  ill-advised 
efforts  of  the  Subscribers  to  protect  the  Synod,  their 
opponents  had  a  more  favorable  opportunity  than  ever 
before  of  publishing  and  explaining  their  views. 

Soon  after  this  Mr.  Masterton  of  Belfast  published 
an  answer  to  Mr.  Abernethy's  last  pamphlet,  which 
was  followed  by  a  pamphlet  from  Mr.  Haliday,  the 
most  comprehensive,  and  at  the  same  time  the  most 
plausible  paper  which  had  appeared  on  the  Non-Sub- 
scribers' side. 


1724.]  THE   CONTROVERSY   CONTINUED.  307 

Towards  the  close  of  February  Mr.  Masterton  g^ave 
notice  of  the  first  communion  to  be  held  in  his  new 
church  in  Belfast ;  and  to  his  great  surprise  he  received 
a  notice  from  Kirkpatrick  and  Haliday  of  their  inten- 
tion of  joining  with  him  in  this  service,  and  requesting 
him  to  give  notice  to  that  effect  from  his  pulpit.  Mas- 
terton and  his  session  were  much  perplexed  with  this 
offer,  in  view  of  the  course  that  had  been  pursued  by 
these  brethren  in  regard  to  the  Synod.  This  perplexity 
clearly  evinced  the  inconsistent  and  indefensible  posi- 
tion which  the  Synod  had  occupied  almost  from  the 
very  commencement  of  these  debates.  After  receiving 
from  Mr.  Masterton  and  his  session  urgent  entreaties 
that  they  would  not  persist  in  their  "  attempt  to  disturb 
the  solemn  work  "  then  in  hand,  Messrs.  Kirkpatrick 
and  Haliday,  considering  this  as  a  formal  exclusion, 
on  that  ground  abandoned  their  design. 

This  incident  opened  the  eyes  of  many  to  the  false 
policy  which  had  been  pursued  by  the  Synod  towards 
Non-Subscribers.  The  opinion  became  general  that 
if  these  brethren  held  latitudinarian  views,  inconsist- 
ent with  the  purity,  safety,  and  peace  of  the  church,  it 
was  the  duty  of  the  Synod  to  take  a  decided  stand,  and 
withhold  all  countenance  from  them.  But  as  the  ma- 
jority of  the  Synod  still  held  communion  with  these 
erring  brethren,  those  of  the  people  who  felt  that  they 
had  not  gone  far  enough  determined  to  keep  them- 
selves clear  from  all  responsibility  in  the  matter.  Ac- 
cordingly, in  several  Presbyteries  vacant  congregations 
refused  to  admit  Non-Subscribing  ministers  into  their 
pulpits,  and  Subscribing  ministers  were  obliged  to  cease 
employing  them  at  the  celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 

The  sub-Synod  of  Derry,  which  met  in  May,  1724, 


808  CHARGES  AGAINST  NEVIN.  [Ch.  XXIII. 

issued  an  address  warning  tlieir  people  against  the 
errors  and  immoralities  of  the  age,  which,  being  widely 
circulated,  tended  to  quiet  the  apprehensions  of  the 
people,  and  to  satisfy  them  that  a  large  body  of  minis- 
ters and  elders  were  firm  in  upholding  the  doctrines 
and  constitution  of  the  Church.  This  was  succeeded  by 
a  paper  entitled  "  A  Defence  of  the  Principles  and  Con- 
duct of  the  General  Synod  of  Ulster,"  from  the  pen  of 
Mr.  Kennedy  and  others  ;  and  about  the  same  time  Mr. 
Abernethy  published  an  answer  to  Mr.  Masterton's 
"  Apology," 

The  general  excitement  caused  by  these  publications 
was  increased  by  charges  against  Mr.  Nevin  of  Down- 
patrick,  whose  unguarded  language  against  Subscrip- 
tion was  interpreted  as  a  denial  of  the  divinity  of 
Christ;  and  though  his  orthodoxy  as  to  this  point  was 
established,  yet  as  he  still  refused  to  subscribe,  the 
Synod  of  1724  withheld  ministerial  communion  from 
him,  to  which  the  N'on-Subscribers  refused  to  submit. 
This  case  led  to  the  publication  of  a  large  octavo  vol- 
ume by  ISTevin,  and  a  reply  of  equal  size.  This  sen- 
tence of  Mr.  Nevin,  depriving  him  of  ministerial 
communion  with  the  Synod,  but  not  of  his  minis- 
terial character,  and  recognizing  him  as  still  minister 
of  Downpatrick,  led  to  further  difficulties.  At  the 
first  meeting  of  the  Presbytery  of  Down,  of  which  Mr. 
Nevin  was  a  member,  the  clerk  insisted  on  calling  his 
name,  and  was  sustained  by  the  Non -Subscribers, 
whereupon  the  Subscribing  ministers^  protesting  against 
this  action,  refused  to  sit  as  members  in  a  court  which 
should  thus  contemn  the  action  of  the  Synod.  But  at 
a  meeting  of  the  Presbytery  in  September,  the  Sub- 
scribing ministers  still  refusing  to  act,  the  friends  of 


1T25.]  ACTION   OF  THE   SUB-SYNOD.  309 

Mr.  Nevin  abandoned  their  untenable  position,  and  he 
Avas  declared  to  be  no  longer  a  member. 

Difficulties  also  arose  early  in  the  year  in  the  congre- 
gation of  Comber  through  the  violence  of  the  Eev. 
John  Orr,  who,  though  a  Subscriber,  signalized  him- 
self by  his  violent  support  of  the  Non-Subscribing 
party.  Indeed  a  general  dissatisfaction  began  to  pre- 
vail not  only  against  the  ISTon-Subscribers  but  against 
the  moderate  Subscribers.  In  the  meantime  another 
work  by  Mr.  Kirkpatrick  appeared,  in  the  preface  of 
which  he  gives  a  full  account  of  what  took  place  be- 
tween himself,  Mr.  Haliday,  and  Mr.  Masl;erton,  and 
his  session,  which  has  already  been  mentioned. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  sub-Synod  of  Belfast,  in  Jan- 
uary, 1725,  the  name  of  Mr.  Kevin  was  again  called, 
which  occasioned  a  violent  debate,  which  was  closed 
by  a  protest  against  the  name  of  Mr.  Kevin  being  con- 
tinued on  the  roll,  and  on  account  of  the  confusion 
in  the  House,  the  protestors,  including  the  moderator, 
clerk,  and  a  majority  of  the  House,  retired  to  prepare 
and  sign  the  document,  but  in  their  absence  the  Non- 
Subscribers  hastily  appointed  a  new  moderator  and 
clerk,  admitted  Mr.  Kevin  to  his  seat,  and  proceeded 
wath  the  business  of  the  court.  When  the  majority 
returned  with  their  protest,  so  great  was  the  confusion 
that  they  could  not  get  it  received,  and  after  several 
attempts  to  restore  order  the  Synod  was  dissolved  in 
the  most  disgraceful  disorder  without  having  trans- 
acted any  business.  This  was  evidently  a  preconcerted 
scheme  of  the  Kon-Subscribers  to  destroy  the  authority 
of  those  courts  of  the  Church  in  which  they  had  any 
power,  and  resulted  a  year  afterwards  in  a  separation. 

The    Kon-Subscribers   still   continued    to   use    the 


310  CASE   OF  ALEXANDER   COLVILLE.      [Ch.  XXIIL 

press  in  the  exhibition  of  their  principles.  In  Feb- 
ruary a  letter  from  Mr.  Halidaj,  in  answer  to  the 
pamphlet  of  Mr.  Kennedy,  appeared,  in  which  he  at- 
tacked the  use  of  the  word  composition  in  the  West- 
minister Confession,  when  treating  of  the  two  natures  of 
Christ,  but  was  ablj^  answered,  by  Iredell.  In  March 
a  letter  from  the  Eeverend.  Mr.  Elder  of  Ag^hadoev,  a 
Subscriber,  but  a  warm  supporter  of  the  Non-Sub- 
scribing party,  was  published,  entitled,  "  Seasons  for 
Moderation,"  &c.  The  popular  excitement  was  in- 
creased by  the  case  of  the  Eeverend  Alexander  Col- 
ville,  one  of  the  early  members  of  the  Belfast  Societj^, 
who  being  refused  ordination  on  account  of  his  Non- 
Subscribing  principles,  proceeded  to  England  to  seek 
ordination  from  the  hands  of  the  Eng-lish  Dissenters, 
and  was  ordained  in  the  vestry-room  of  Dr.  Calamy's 
church.  This  interference  was  resented  by  the  Irish 
Church,  who  refused  to  allow  Colville  to  preach  in 
their  congregations.  Dr.  Calaray  in  return  threatened 
to  withdraw  the  Royal  Bounty. 

At  the  instance  of  the  Dublin  ministers,  the  Lord 
Lieutenant,  Carteret,  requested  in  the  King's  name, 
that  the  controversy  might  come  to  an  end,  but  in 
vain,  for  at  the  Synod  of  1725,  which  met  in  June,  the 
case  of  Colville  was  introduced,  and  he  was  suspended 
for  three  months,  and  all  who  should  hold  ministerial 
communion  with  him  were  threatened  with  suspension. 
At  this  and  the  preceding  Synods  the  two  parties 
met  separately  during  the  adjournments.  This  Synod 
authorized  Church  members  who  scrupled  communion 
with  Non-Subscribinor  ministers  to  follow  the  lig^ht  of 
their  own  consciences  therein ;  declared  the  reserva- 
tions allowed  in  the  Pacific  Act  to  concern  phrases, 


1725.]  PRESBYTERY   OF   ANTRIM.  311 

not  doctrines;  and  readjusted  the  Presbyteries  in  the 
sub-Synod  of  Belfast  on  the  "  elective  affinity  princi- 
ple," by  dividing  Down  into  Bangor  and  Killileagh, 
adding  Templepatrick,  and  putting  all  the  Non-Sub- 
scribers, twelve  in  number,  into  Antrim.  And  thev 
carried  this  accommodating  principle  still  farther  by 
placing  in  the  Presbytery  of  Killileagh  the  moderate 
Subscribers  who  were  in  favor  of  holding  communion 
with  Non -Subscribers,  and  in  that  of  Bangor  those 
who  were  opposed  to  that  practice.  This  made  peace 
in  the  sub-Synod,  diminished  the  influence  of  the 
Non-Subscribers,  and  prepared  the  way  for  their  ex- 
cision. In  the  meantime  they  proposed  five  "  expedi- 
ents for  peace,"  which  were  sent  down  to  the  Presby- 
teries for  their  consideration. 

Colville  defied  the  Synod  by  preaching  in  spite  of 
its  action,  and  invoked  the  southern  Synod  of  Dublin, 
who  sent  a  deputation  to  Ulster,  and  on  the  25th  of 
October  they,  with  nine  of  the  Ulster  Non-Subscribers, 
installed  Mr.  Colville  over  the  congregation  of  Dro- 
more,  which  led  to  an  alienation  between  them  and 
the  Ulster  brethren  in  Dublin.  Abernethy's  last  pub- 
lication was  answered  by  Hemphill  and  Masterton, 
after  which  there  was  a  lull  for  six  months.  Public 
attention  was  again  awakened  by  the  five  overtures 
which  had  been  sent  down  to  the  Presbyteries  by  the 
last  Synod.  The  dangers  which  they  were  intended 
to  avert  had  been  removed  by  the  exclusion  of  the 
Non -Subscribers,  and  they  were  never  submitted  to 
the  consideration  of  the  Synod.  It  is  therefore  unnec- 
essary to  notice  anything  but  the  publications  to  which 
they  gave  rise.  It  is  singular  that  no  one  wrote  against 
these  overtures,  except  the  Reverend  Robert  Higin- 


312  EXPEDIENTS   FOR   PEACE.  [Ch.  XXIII. 

botliam  of  Coleraine,  a  Subscriber,  wliicTi  led  to  a 
division  of  bis  congregation,  and  was  answered  by  Mr. 
M'Bride  of  Ballymonej.  The  Presbj^tery  of  Eoute 
afterwards  took  judicial  cognizance  of  several  un- 
guarded and  dangerous  positions  in  Higinbotham's 
pamphlet,  which  occupied  their  attention  for  several 
months. 

During  the  early  part  of  June,  in  anticipation  of  the 
approaching  meeting  of  Synod,  four  publications  issued 
from  the  press.  The  first  was  an  answer  to  the  Post- 
script of  the  Dublin  ministers  in  Abernethy's  "  De- 
fence," by  Mr.  Masterton  ;  the  second  a  letter  of 
Hemphill  in  reply  to  Mr.  Haliday ;  the  third,  a  paper 
of  Mr.  Iredell,  in  answer  to  Haliday's  letter  to  Ken- 
nedy, these  three  being  on  the  side  of  the  Subscribers ; 
and  the  fourth  on  the  other  side,  being  a  pamphlet  by 
Mr.  Boyse,  which  was  his  last  appearance  as  an  au- 
thor. 

In  the  midst  of  the  excitement  caused  by  these  pub- 
lications, the  Synod  opened  its  meeting  at  Dungannon 
on  the  21st  of  June.  The  first  subject  of  discussion 
was  on  the  "  expedients  for  peace,"  presented  by  the 
Non-Subscribers,  but  not  a  single  offer  was  made  on 
which  an  agreement  with  them  could  be  based  ;  there 
was,  therefore,  no  alternative  left  the  Synod  than  to 
propose  a  separation,  in  the  only  form  in  which  it 
could  be  proposed,  namely,  by  exclusion.  Accord- 
ingly, the  committee  of  the  Subscribers  to  whom  the 
"expedients  for  peace"  bad  been  submitted  brought 
in  a  report  to  the  effect  that  some  of  the  propositions 
were  evasive  of  the  Pacific  Act,  and  contrary  to  im- 
portant resolutions  of  the  General  Synod,  and  the 
known  principles  of  the  constitution   of  the  Church, 


1726.]  THE   SEPARATION.  318 

and  therefore  they  reject  them  as  inconsistent  with  the 
peace  and  unity  of  the  Church ;  and  that  hereafter  it 
will  be  impossible  for  them  to  hold  ministerial  com- 
munion with  those  who  sustain  them. 

Tne  next  morning  Mr.  Kirkpatrick  answered  this 
overture,  complaining  that  their  "expedients"  had 
been  misunderstood,  and  called  upon  the  Synod  to 
answer  their  arguments  before  they  proceeded  to  a 
rupture.  After  various  attempts  to  delay  action,  a 
vote  was  taken,  which  resulted  in  favor  of  the  over- 
ture, thirty-six  ministers  voting  for  it,  and  thirty- 
four  against  it,  while  the  great  body  of  the  elders  voted 
in  the  affirmative. 

This  act  of  separation  was  limited  in  its  nature.  The 
Non- Subscribers  were  not  excluded  from  Christian  fel- 
lowship, nor  their  ministerial  character  in  any  way 
interfered  with.  Neither  were  they  excluded  from 
ministerial  communion  in  religious  ordinances  and  sac- 
raments, but  simply  from  ministerial  communion  with 
Subscribers  in  church  judioatories.  There  were  also 
still  remaining  in  the  Synod  many  warm  partizans  of 
the  Non-Subscribers,  which  in  time  brought  forth 
the  fruit  of  discord  and  error. 

14 


CHAPTER     XXIV. 

1726-1750. 

The  Synod,  having  thus  excluded  the  Non-Sub- 
scribers, received  the  reasons  for  protest  of  those  Sub- 
scribers who  had  opposed  the  separation,  but  refused 
to  receive  a  protest  from  the  Non-Subscribers,  on  the 
ground  that  thej  were  no  longer  members  of  the  court. 
They  also  agreed  that  the  Non-Subscribers  should  re- 
ceive their  proportion  of  the  Eoyal  Bounty  as  before. 

The  Non- Subscribers,  before  leaving  Dungannon, 
drew  up  an  address  to  their  congregations,  which,  how- 
ever, at  once  began  to  be  divided,  some  churches  losing 
ninety  or  a  hundred  families,  which  were  formed  into 
separate  congregations  or  annexed  to  other  Presbyteries. 
Mr.  Higinbotham  of  Coleraine  at  first  joined  the  Non- 
Subscribers,  but  afterwards  repented  of  his  hasty  step 
and  returned  to  the  Synod  in  1728. 

Although  the  controversy  had  ceased  in  the  Church 
courts  it  was  still  carried  on  through  the  press.  ''  A 
Seasonable  Warning,"  by  some  Subscribing  ministers, 
in  answer  to  a  letter  from  the  Presbytery  of  Antrim, 
made  its  appearance,  followed  in  August  by  a  pam- 
phlet from  the  pen  of  Malcom,  now  in  the  fortieth 
year  of  his  ministry,  in  which  he  institutes  a  parallel 
between  the  ^'Sectarians  of  the  last  age,"  meaning  those 
in  the  Westminster  Assembly  who  had  prevented  the 
establishment  of  Presbyterian  government  in  England, 


^'^27.j  PAPER  WAR.  315 

and  the  "Modern  New  Lights,"  meaning  the  Non- 
Subscribers.  This  pamphlet  was  felt  to  be  so  unjust 
and  offensive^  that  it  was  answered  towards  the  close 
of  the  year  by  Mr.  Abernethy.  About  the  same  time 
Mr.  Haliday  published  a  letter  addressed  to  Mr.  Ire- 
dell, who  rejoined  the  next  year.  In  March,  1727,  Mr. 
Elder,  of  Aghadoey,  after  an  interval  of  a  year,  pub- 
lished a  spirited  vindication  of  himself  against  the  at- 
tack of  Mr.  M'Bride.  Mr.  M'Bride's  pamphlet  also 
called  forth  an  answer  from  Mr.  Nevin,  whose  ex- 
clusion from  the  Synod  he  had  attempted  to  defend. 
But  the  most  important  publication  of  this  year  was 
"  A  Narrative  of  the  Seven  Synods,"  by  the  Non-Sub- 
scribers, which  is  a  partial,  yet  elaborate,  defence  of 
their  views  and  principles.  It  is  a  valuable  compila- 
tion, from  the  original  documents,  and  the  reports  of 
debates,  which  have  thus  been  preserved  from  obliv- 
ion. This  was  partially  answered  by  a  posthumous 
tract  by  Hutcheson  of  Armagh.  Towards  the  close  of 
the  year  1731,  *'  a  member  of  the  Greneral  Synod  (now 
unknown)  published  an  answer  to  the  "  Narrative," 
which,  as  far  as  it  goes,  is  conclusive  and  satisfactory. 
This,  with  a  small  work  on  the  Trinity,  by  Masterton, 
and  a  few  pamphlets  by  Holmes,  on  the  Subscribers' 
side,  and  Duchal  and  Blair  on  that  of  the  Non-Sub- 
scribers, may  be  said  to  have  closed  the  series  of  more 
than  fifty  publications  in  a  dozen  years. 

While  these  events  were  passing  inside  of  the  Church, 
the  Presbyterians  of  Ulster  at  last  obtained  a  legal  tol- 
eration ;  but  continued  to  suffer  from  Episcopalian  land- 
lords, from  the  Sacramental  Test,  and  as  to  marriages, 
— all  which  remained  unchanged  at  the  death  of 
George  I. 


816  EMIGEATION  TO  AMEEICA.  [Ch.  XXIV. 

The  news  of  the.  accession  of  G-eorge  II.,  whicli  oc- 
curred on  the  11th  of  June,  1727,  reached  Dungannon 
on  the  22d,  while  the  Sjnod  was  in  session,  and  they, 
on  invitation  from  the  governor,  attended  his  procla- 
mation in  a  body  ;  and  before  their  adjournment,  drew 
up  a  loyal  and  dutiful  address  to  his  Majesty,  and  for- 
warded it  to  England  through  the  usual  channel.  The 
Presbyterian  claims  were  countenanced  by  Dr.  Hugh 
Boulter,  the  Primate,  and  by  Speaker  Conoih^,  as  long 
as  he  lived.  But  while  they  were  thus  favored  by  the 
government,  their  prosperity  throughout  the  piovince 
was  declining.  The  rise  of  rents  and  tithes,  with  sev- 
eral bad  harvests,  (1724-1728),  and  especially  the  op- 
pressions of  the  government,  led  many  to  emigrate  to 
America,  to  which  they  were  solicited  by  agents  from 
the  colonies.  Four  thousand  two  hundred  sailed  in 
three  years,  some  selling  themselves  for  four  years  to 
pay  their  passage. 

Alarmed  by  this  great  emigration  from  Ulster,  the 
Lords  Justices  inquired  of  Messrs.  Iredell  and  Crag- 
head  of  Dublin  the  cause  of  it,  who  wrote  letters  to 
the  northern  Presbyteries,  asking  for  their  views  on 
the  subject  which  were  embodied  in  a  memorial  and 
laid  before  the  Lords  Justices,  in  March,  1729.  In  this 
memorial  they  give  as  the  principal  causes  the  Sacra- 
mental Test  and  the  marriage  grievances.  The  Arch- 
bishop, in  transmitting  this  memorial  to  the  Lord  Lieu- 
tenant, then  in  England,  denied  this  representation, 
and  held  that  the  oppression  of  the  Presbyterians  arose 
chiefly  from  the  landlords.  The  ministers  sent  Mr. 
Craghead  to  London  for  the  purpose  of  still  further 
explaining  the  subject  of  their  memorial,  and  to  settle 
some  matters  connected  with  the  Royal  Bounty.     He 


^'^31.]  CRAGHEAD   VISITS  LONDON.  317 

was  introduced  and  recommended  by  Primate  Boulter 
to  Sir  Eobert  Walpole.  Mr.  Craghead  succeeded  in 
arranging  the  difficulties  connected  with  the  Eoyal 
Bounty,  but  failed  in  getting  anything  done  to  remove 
the  civil  grievances  which  oppressed  the  Presbyterians. 
Two  years  having  elapsed  with  nothing  done  for  their 
relief,  the  Synod  of  1731  a^ain  commissioned  Mr.  Crag- 
head  to  proceed  to  London  and  urge  the  repeal  of  the 
Sacramental  Test.  He  met  with  a  favorable  reception, 
and  efforts  u  ere  made  by  the  friends  of  the  Dissenters 
to  have  the  repeal  of  the  Test  Act  inserted  among  tLe 
instructions  drawn  up  for  the  new  Lord  Lieutenant, 
the  Duke  of  Dorset,  who  was  on  the  eve  of  going  to 
Ireland  ;  and  it  was  generally  supposed  that  their  ob- 
ject had  been  gained.  But  on  his  arrival  it  was  found 
that  all  their  hopes  were  disappointed. 

Mr.  Abernethy,  who  had  succeeded  Mr.  Boyse  in  Dub- 
lin, published  at  this  time  an  able  statement  of  the 
injustice  done  to  the  Presbyterian  population  in  Ire- 
land by  the  Test  Act,  and  the  strong  claims  they  had 
for  its  repeal.  This  aroused  their  old  and  bitter  oppo- 
nent Dean  Swift,  who  published  "  The  Presbyterians 
Plea  of  Merit,  in  order  to  take  off  the  Test,  impartially 
examined."  This  he  followed  early  in  the  year  1732, 
by  an  ironical  pamphlet,  to  which  was  appended  an 
elaborate  reply  to  Abuernethy's  tract.  But  the  con- 
troversy was  now  transferred  from  Ireland  to  England. 
The  English  Protestant  Dissenters  endeavored  to  pro- 
cure the  repeal  of  the  Test  and  Corporation  Acts,  and 
a  multitude  of  pamphlets  issued  from  the  London 
press  on  the  subject.  But  through  the  dexterity  of 
Walpole  the  Dissenters  concluded  that  the  time  had 


318  DUKE  OF  DORSET.  [Cn.  XXIY. 

not  yet  arrived  for  them  to  press  their  matters  with 
any  hope  of  success. 

The  English  ministry  at  length  gave  the  Duke  of 
Dorset  the  power  to  hold  a  meeting  of  Parliament  and 
recommend  the  repeal  of  the  Sacramental  Test  in 
Ireland,  Accordingly  the  Parliament  assembled  on 
the  4th  of  October,  and  was  opened  by  the  Lord  Lieu- 
tenant by  a  speech,  in  which  he  hinted  at  the  repeal, 
and  referred  to  the  union  of  all  Protestants  as  essential 
to  the  interests  of  the  countrv.  But  the  friends  of 
the  measure  finally  abandoned  the  subject,  as  a  large 
majority  in  both  Houses  were  evidently  opposed  to  it. 
This  act  had  now  existed  for  thirty  years,  and  its  re- 
peal seemed  more  hopeless  than  ever ;  nor  was  the 
attempt  renewed  till  nearly  half  a  century  afterwards, 
when  it  was  at  length  crowned  with  success.  The 
only  relief  granted  to  the  Presbyterians  during  this 
reign  was  an  act  passed  in  1738  exempting  them  from 
prosecutions  for  marriages  by  ministers  who  had  qual- 
ified under  the  Toleration  Act. 

The  Church  during  this  whole  struggle  continued  to 
enjoy  internal  prosperity,  but  now  symptoms  of  a  de- 
sire to  lower  the  standard  of  ministerial  education 
appearing,  it  was  required  that  all  candidates  should 
be  Masters  of  Arts,  and  should  study  diviuity  at  least 
four  years.  To  prevent  divisions  in  calling  ministers 
a  vote  of  two  thirds  of  the  stipend-payers  was  required, 
which  displeased  the  poorer  classes,  but  remained  the 
rule  for  upwards  of  a  century. 

The  Synod  now  contained  some  able  and  accom- 
plished men,  but  few  evangelical  preachers,  and  sev- 
eral of  the  Non-Subscribers  were  suspected  of  heresy. 
But  no  Presbyterian  minister,  as  yet,  maintained  Uni- 


^736].  THE   SECEDERS.  819 

tarian  opinions.  Doctrinal  discussions  were  avoided, 
and  the  ablest  business  men  were  on  the  lax  side,  which 
was  continually  strengthened  by  the  influx  of  Profes- 
sor Simpson's  pupils,  so  that  the  ISTon-Subscribers  were 
looking  forward  to  a  speedy  re-union,  when  a  turn  was 
given  to  the  controversy  by  the  rise  of  the  Secession. 

The  Secession  from  the  Church  of  Scotland,  occa- 
sioned by  the  restoration  of  patronage  in  1712,  and 
resulting  in  the  organization  of  the  Associate  Presby- 
tery in  1733,  attracted  the  attention  of  the  stricter 
party  in  the  Church  of  Ulster,  who  were  dissatisfied 
with  the  temporizing  conduct  of  the  Synod,  and  the 
recent  regulations  about  calls.  The  first  sympath}^ 
with  the  Scotch  Seceders  appeared  at  Lisburn.  After 
the  death  of  Mr.  M'Cracken  in  1730,  this  congregation 
remained  vacant  until  June  1732,  when  the  Reverend 
Gilbert  Kennedy  became  their  pastor,  and  after  a  short 
stay  removed  to  Killileagh.  After  a  vacancy  of  three 
years,  the  Reverend  William  Patton,  amidst  much  op- 
position, was  installed  in  July  1736.  This  led  the  dis- 
affected persons  of  the  congregation  to  renounce  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Synod  of  Ulster  and  to  put  them- 
selves under  the  care  of  the  Associate  Presbytery,  ask- 
ing for  the  services  of  a  minister.  Their  memorial, 
which  was  transmitted  to  Scotland,  contained  the  names 
of  no  less  than  two  hundred  and  eighty  heads  of  fam- 
ilies, and  was  answered  by  order  of  the  Presbytery,  by 
the  Reverend  Ebenezer  Erksine. 

The  moderate  party  was  growing  stronger  and 
stronger,  as  was  indicated  by  a  sermon  preached  by 
the  Rev.  George  Cherrv^  before  the  sub-Synod  of  Ar- 
magh in  July,  1736.  And  this  appeared  still  more 
evident  from  the  case  of  the  Rev.  Richard  Aprichard, 


820    FIRST  SECEDING  MINISTER  IN  IRELAND.    [Ch.  XXIV. 

whicli  occupied  the  attention  of  the  Church  in  1738. 
This  young  man,  being  on  his  trial  for  ordination  be- 
fore the  Presbytery  of  Armagh,  expressed  his  scruples 
with  regard  to  some  sections  of  the  Confession  of 
Faith,  and  when  before  the  Synod  he  positively  refused 
to  sign  these  articles ;  and  when  it  v/as  proposed  to  re- 
call his  license,  he  cut  short  the  debate  by  renouncing 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  General  Synod.  Mr.  Cherry 
and  twelve  members  of  Synod  sustained  Mr.  Ap- 
richard  in  his  views,  and  entered  their  protest  upon 
the  minutes  of  the  Synod. 

In  1741  the  people  of  Ljlehill,  near  Lisburn,  ap- 
plied, through  their  commissioners,  Messrs.  John  Grib- 
son  and  Samuel  Henderson,  to  the  Associate  Presby- 
tery in  Scotland,  for  a  supply  of  ministers,  and  in 
September,  1742,  the  Rev.  Thomas  Ballantyne,  the 
first  seceding  preacher  who  ever  visited  Ireland,  came 
over,  where  he  remained  about  a  fortnight,  preaching 
to  large  assemblies.  In  January,  1748,  Mr.  Gavin 
Beugo,  a  licentiate,  visited  Antrim  as  a  missionary, 
being  followed  by  Thomas  Ballantyne  a  second  time, 
and  Mr.  John  Erskine,  the  son  of  Mr.  Ralph  Erskine. 
But  the  Associate  Presbytery  had  now  become  so  pop- 
ular in  Scotland  that  it  was  unable  to  supply  its  own 
vacancies,  and  no  more  were  sent  to  Ireland  during 
the  year. 

In  the  meantime  the  dissensions  in  the  Synod  of 
Ulster  continued.  In  the  congregation  of  Newtown- 
limavady  a  difficulty  arose  between  the  friends  of 
Mr.  Henry  Erskine,  who  had  been  lately  settled,  and  a 
Mr.  Joseph  Osborne.  The  friends  of  Osborne  having 
applied  for  a  separate  organization  to  the  Presby- 
tery of  Derry,  and  being  refused,  applied  to  the  Pres- 


1743.J  CASE   OF   OSBOKNE.  321 

bytery  of  Antrim,  who  received  them,  and  installed  Mr. 
Osborne  as  tlieir  pastor.  This  case  was  brought  before 
the  Synod  at  Dungannon  in  1742,  and  a  series  of  over- 
tures was  passed  announcing  their  determination  to 
punish  probationers  who  encouraged  divisions  in  va- 
cant congregations,  as  well  as  to  censure  ministers  who 
countenanced  such  probationers  in  applying  for  ordina- 
tion "to  any  association  not  belonging  to  the  General 
Synod." 

Osborne  and  his  adherents,  finding  that  their  connec- 
tion with  the  Presbytery  of  Antrim  was  prejudicial  to 
their  interests,  made  application  to  the  Synod,  which 
met  in  June,  1748,  to  be  taken  under  their  care.  The 
memorial  making  this  request  was  held  back  until  the 
very  close  of  the  meeting,  when  those  who  were  sup- 
posed to  be  hostile  to  it  had  gone  home  ;  and,  although 
opposed  by  Mr.  Erskine,  they  were,  by  a  large  vote, 
received,  upon  Mr.  Osborne  expressing  his  concern  for 
his  irregular  ordination  by  the  Presbytery  of  Antrim, 
and  subscribing  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith. 
This  hasty  action  of  the  Synod  was  condemned  by 
many  ;  and  at  its  meeting  in  1744  the  Rev.  John  Stir- 
ling of  Ball}' kelly  was  permitted  to  enter  on  the  rec- 
ords a  protest  against  this  action  as  "  rash,  unfair,  and 
unconstitutional." 

For  some  years  a  misunderstanding  had  existed  among 
the  members  of  the  Presbytery  of  Armagh,  the  one 
party  holding  that  the  other  did  not  faithfully  main- 
tain the  doctrines  of  the  Westminster  Confession.  This 
led  to  a  division  of  the  Presbytery,  in  1743,  into  two, 
Armagh  and  Dromore.  This  division  failed  to  secure 
the  harmony  which  was  anticipated,  a  paper  war  soon 
after  commencing  between  these  Presbyteries,  originat- 


322  SECEDERS  INCREASING.  [Ch.  XXTV. 

ing  in  the  case  of  the  Eev.  Greorge  Ferguson  of  Market- 
hill,  whose  orthodoxy  had  beon  impeached.  When 
the  case  came  before  the  Synod  in  1744  the  witnesses 
against  Mr.  Ferguson  were  intimidated  and  did  not 
make  their  appearance,  and  the  court  brought  in  the 
dubious  verdict  of  "  not  proved." 

It  now  became  evident  that  there  was  an  anti-evan- 
gelical party  in  the  Synod  of  Ulster,  and  the  Non- 
Subscribers  were  greatly  elated  with  the  hope  of  being 
again  united  with  the  Synod,  some  of  them  having 
said  that  if  "  a  few  men  were  dead,"  alluding  to  some 
of  the  old  ministers,  the  Synod  and  the  Presbytery  of 
Antrim  would  soon  be  one  again.  At  the  opening  of 
the  Synod  of  1745  the  Kev.  John  Carlisle  of  Clogher 
preached  a  sermon  against  creeds  and  confessions  from 
the  text  "concerning  zeal  persecuting  the  Church," 
which  was  afterwards  published  by  him  as  though 
sanctioned  by  the  Synod.  The  fact  that  it  had  been 
preached  before  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  Church, 
and  permitted  to  pass  without  rebuke,  clearly  evinced 
the  growing  influence  of  "  moderate"  principles. 

While  these  signs  of  defection  in  the  Synod  were  in- 
creasing, the  friends  of  the  Associate  Presbytery  were 
not  idle  ;  and  in  1744  a  number  of  families  in  Lisburn 
and  its  vicinity,  following  the  example  of  Lylehill, 
placed  themselves  under  the  care  of  the  Scottish  judica- 
tory. That  body  had  increased  so  rapidly  in  Scotland, 
that  on  the  11th  of  October  the  Associate  Synod  was 
constituted,  consisting  of  the  three  Presbyteries  of  Glas- 
gow, Edinburgh  and  Dunfermline ;  and  the  affairs  of  Ire- 
land were  entrusted  to  the  Presbytery  of  Grrasgow.  At 
the  meeting  of  the  Associate  Synod  of  1745,  the  Rev. 
Isaac  Patton,  a  licentiate,  was  commissioned  to  preach 


1746.]  JAMES   FISHER.  823 

nine  Sabbaths,  and  the  Eev.  John  M'Ara  to  preach 
four  Sabbaths,  at  different  points  in  UJster,  which  re- 
sulted in  a  call  being  given  by  the  friends  of  the  Asso- 
ciated Synod  in  Templepatrick,  Belfast  and  Lisburn, 
to  Mr.  Patton,  to  be  their  pastor  ;  and  on  the  9th  of 
July,  1746,  he  was  ordained  and  installed  in  Lylehill, 
by  a  delegation  sent  over  from  the  Presbyteries  of 
Glasgow  and  Dunfermline.  This  was  the  first  settle- 
ment of  a  seceding  minister  in  Ireland. 

Soon  after  the  settlement  of  Mr.  Patton  a  number  of 
missionaries  were  sent  out  by  the  Associate  Presbytery 
of  Edinburg,  to  itinerate  through  the  county.  And  not 
long  afterwards  they  were  followed  by  the  Rev.  James 
Fisher,  the  son-in-law  of  Ebenezer  Erskine,  and  one 
of  the  original  founders  of  the  Secession,  who  already 
had  such  a  popularity  in  Ireland  that  many  were  ac- 
customed to  pass  over  to  Kinclaven,  his  Scottish  par- 
ish, to  attend  his  communions.  On  his  arrival  in  Ire- 
land he  attracted  great  crowds  wherever  he  preached, 
and  was  even  welcomed  by  some  of  the  ministers  of  the 
Synod  of  Ulster.  The  object  of  these  visits  of  Mr. 
Fisher  was  to  negotiate  a  union  with  the  stricter 
members  of  the  Synod,  believing  that  if  the  evangeli- 
cal party  could  be  induced  to  adopt  the  testimony  of 
his  Church,  the  Secession  would  be  at  once  firmly  es- 
tablished in  the  north  of  Ireland  ;  but  in  this  he  was 
disappointed. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Synod  of  1747,  "  supplica- 
tions" were  presented  from  a  number  of  the  Presby- 
teries complaining  of  corruptions  which  were  creeping 
into  the  Church,  through  the  means  of  various  deis- 
tical  publications  which  had  been  circulated  through 
Ulster.     Several   of  the  ministers  of  the  Synod,  who 


324  '^THE  SUPPLICATIONS."  [Ch.  XXIV. 

were  orthodox  in  their  professions,  had  also  excited 
suspicion,  on  account  of  their  countenancing  the  repub- 
lication of  works  which  directly  assailed  the  doctrines 
of  the  Westminster  Confession.  Among  these  was  the 
treatise  of  Taylor,  "  On  Original  Sin,"  an  artful  de- 
fence of  Pelagianism  ;  and  although  at  this  time  every 
member  of  the  Synod  had  publicly  professed  his  ad- 
herence to  the  Westminster  formularies,  yet  their  in- 
consistency in  recommending  this  work  of  Taylor,  on 
the  ground  that  they  were  the  friends  of  free  inquiry, 
caused  great  alarm.  The  "  moderate  men"  of  the  Sy- 
nod, (those  who  sympathized  with  the  ISTon-Subscrib- 
ers,)  against  whom  these  charges  were  speciallj^  directed, 
had  not  the  courage  to  stand  forward  in  their  own  vin- 
dication, and  they  therefore  agreed  to  a  document  en- 
titled, "  A  Serious  Warning  to  the  People  of  our  Com- 
munion, within  the  bounds  of  the  Synod,"  admitting  the 
existence  of  the  evils  complained  of,  but  blunting  the 
edge  of  their  acknowledgments,  by  recounting  as  griev- 
ances some  items  which  many  who  signed  the  '^  sup- 
plications" would  never  have  thought  of,  including  in 
such  an  enumeration,  especially  some  connected  with 
the  preaching  of  the  Seceders  in  the  bounds  of  their 
congregations.  This  paper  was  finally  adopted  by  the 
Synod,  and  ordered  to  be  printed  and  read  on  the  Sab- 
bath from  the  pulpits  of  all  their  congregations. 

Piety  was  now  rapidly  declining,  and  many  of  the 
ministers  were  exhibiting  a  secular  spirit,  although 
at  this  period  there  was  not  one  avowed  Unitarian 
or  Arminian  among  the  ministers  of  the  Synod  of 
Ulster. 

But  events  were  occurring  in  Scotland  which  were 
very  soon  felt  in  the  Church  in  Ireland.   The  question 


1747,]  BURGHERS   AND   ANTI-BURGHERS.  325 

had  arisen  among  the  friends  of  the  Secession,  whether 
they  could  with  propriety  take  the  oath  administered 
to  the  burgesses  in  several  of  the  borough  towns.  This 
oath  required  them  to  support  "the  true  religion  pre- 
sently professed  within  the  realm,  and  authorized  by 
the  laws  thereof."  The  meaning  of  this  clause  ex- 
cited a  warm  dispute,  the  one  party  holding  that  it  was 
framed  simply  to  prevent  Papists  from  becoming  bur- 
gesses, and  implied  merely  a  recognition  of  the  Prot- 
estant faith  ;  the  other  party  contended  that  it  should 
be  rejected,  as  it  involved  a  recognition  of  patronage, 
and  all  the  legalized  abuses  of  the  existing  Presbyte- 
rian Establishment.  The  Secession  Church  was  occu- 
pied for  more  than  two  years  in  these  discussions, 
which  resulted,  in  April,  1747,  in  a  division,  both  par- 
ties claiming  the  designation  of  the  Associate  Synod, 
but  known  in  history  as  the  Burghers  and  Anti-Burgh- 
ers. The  acrimony  with  which  this  controversy  was 
conducted,  as  well  as  the  narrow  spirit  it  exhibited, 
greatly  lowered  the  Secession  in  public  estimation. 

Strange  to  tell,  this  division  spread  to  Ireland,  where 
no  Burghers'  oath  of  any  kind  existed ;  Mr.  Patton  who 
was  present  at  the  meeting  of  the  Associate  Synod 
when  the  division  occurred,  joined  the  Anti-Burghers, 
while  other  congregations  in  Ireland  recently  estab- 
lished connected  themselves  with  the  Anti-Burgher 
party.  Had  the  Irish  Presbyterian  church  in  Ireland 
been  in  a  healthy  condition,  this  schism  would  have 
proved  fatal  to  the  Seceders,  but  it  seems  to  have 
had  little  influence,  they,  notwithstanding  the  scan- 
dal connected  with  this  decision,  continued  to  pros- 
per. 

The  publication  of  the  ''  Serious  Warning  "  aroused 


826  LABORS  OF  THE   SECEDERS.  [Ch.  XXIV. 

the  opposition  of  the  Seceders,  wlio  called  it  '*  a  cun- 
ning gravestone  upon  truth,"  and  as  tending  to  delude 
the  laitj  by  requiring  them  to  come  forward  and  pros- 
ecute unsound  teachers  at  a  time  when  the  Synod  was 
so  corrupt  that  the  condemnation  of  a  heterodox  min- 
ister was  not  to  be  expected.  The  controversy  con- 
cerning this  paper  was  continued  for  several  years,  in 
which  the  Seceders  declared  that  ecclesiastical  disci- 
pline had  been  neglected  in  admitting  ignorant  and 
profane  persons  to  the  Lord's  table ;  in  allowing 
parents  who  did  not  maintain  family  worship  to  pre- 
sent their  children  for  baptism  ;  that  the  violators  of 
the  seventh  commandment  were  not  publicly  censured ; 
that  ministers  did  not  faithfully  visit  and  catechise 
the  families  under  their  charge ;  that  the  reading  of 
sermons,  had  becdme  a  great  grievance  ;  that  in  these 
written  sermons,  instead  of  proclaiming  the  glorious  gos- 
pel, they  were  said  "  to  discourse  like  heathen  moral- 
ists." Oa  the  other  hand,  the  Synod,  besides  defend- 
ing itself  from  these  charges,  pronounced  the  Act 
and  Testimony  of  the  Ssceders  as  absurd,  disloyal 
and  intolerant ;  the  proceedings  of  their  courts  were 
held  up  to  ridicule  ;  they  were  represented  as  delight- 
ing in  strife,  and  their  debates  about  the  Burghers' 
oath,  and  the  discussion  which  succeeded,  was  pro- 
nounced to  be  the  consummation  of  their  folly. 

About  this  time  Mr.  John  Swanston,  a  licentiate  of 
the  Secession,  who  had  been  preaching  to  large  assem- 
blies in  the  neighborhood  of  Colerain,  was  challenged 
by  the  Eeverend  Robert  Higinbotham  to  a  discussion, 
which  was  conducted  at  Ballyrashane,  in  the  open  air, 
before  an  immense  assembly,  to  the  discomfiture,  it  is 
said,  of  Higinbotham. 


1747-1749.]  MODERATE   PARTY   DECLINING.  827 

During  the  year  1747  both  branches  of  the  Seces- 
sion made  progress  in  all  parts  of  Ulster,  but  chiefly 
among  the  humbler  classes,  and  where  the  settled  min- 
isters were  unsound  or  inefficient. 

While  the  Seceders  were  thus  employed  in  laying 
the  foundation  of  their  church  in  Ulster,  the  moderate 
party  in  the  Greneral  Synod  w^ere  apparently  declining. 
At  its  meeting  in  1747,  a  proposition  intended  to  pre- 
pare the  way  for  the  re-establishment  of  communion 
with  the  Non-Subscribers  had  been  discussed  and  post- 
poned for  a  year,  but  in  the  meantime  the  Seceders  had 
so  excited  the  public  mind  in  reference  to  heresy,  that 
•when  it  was  again  proposed  in  the  Synod  of  1748,  it 
was  lost  by  a  large  majority.  In  the  Synod  of  1749, 
the  case  of  the  Reverend  William  Fleming  was  under 
consideration.  He  had  been  called  to  the  church  of 
Kingscourt,  and  at  his  installation  the  Presbytery  of 
Monaghan  had  permitted  him  to  sign  an  unauthorized 
formula  instead  of  the  Westminister  Confession,  al- 
though several  members  had  protested  against  the 
proceedings.  The  Synod,  therefore,  at  this  session  re- 
quired Mr.  Fleming  to  sign  the  Confession  in  the 
regular  form,  and  ordered  that  for  the  future  one  form- 
ula,  namely,  that  of  the  General  Synod,  shall  be  used 
in  all  the  Presbyteries. 

The  Synod,  while  thus  guarding  the  general  course 
of  their  ministers,  was  too  indulgent  to  particular 
cases  of  unsoundness,  as  appears  from  the  example  of 
Thomas  Thompson,  who  had  been  charged  by  one 
Galey  as  preaching,  that  morality  is  the  foundation  of 
religion.  When  brought  before  the  Presbytery  Thomp- 
son had  denied  the  charge,  and  Galey  not  being  able 
to  prove  it,  he  was  censured.     When  it  appeared  on 


328  CASE   OF  THOMAS  THOMPSON.  [Ch.  XXIV. 

appeal  before  the  Svnod,  Thompson  acknowledged  in 
the  main  the  charge,  bat  declared  that  he  did  not  mean 
to  exclude  the  mediation  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  the 
way  of  salvation  revealed  in  the  gospel  is  only  by  the 
merits  and  satisfaction  of  a  Redeemer.  Whereupon 
the  Synod  accepted  the  explanation,  and  rebuked  Ga- 
ley  for  his  rashness. 

At  the  time  the  Synod  was  occupied  with  this  case 
a  deputation  from  the  Burgher  Presbytery  of  Glasgow 
were  engaged  in  the  installation  of  the  Rev.  Andrew 
Black  in  the  congregation  of  Boardmills,  and  in  the 
same  month  the  Rev.  Thomas  Mayn  was  installed  at 
Ballyroney,  both  being  Burghers  ;  and  on  the  same 
day  the  Rev.  David  Arrott  was  settled  at  Market- 
hill,  by  a  deputation  from  the  Anti-Burgher  Presbjtery 
of  Glasgow.  Hitherto,  Mr.  Patton,  of  Lylehili,  had 
been  the  only  member  of  the  Associate  Presbytery 
settled  in  Ireland.  Though  attacked  in  print  by  Coi- 
ville,  Delap  and  Lynd,  they  continually  gained  new 
influence,  and  spread  a  pure  gospel  among  the  masses, 
in  opposition  both  to  heresy  and  the  moderatism  of 
the  Ulster  Synod. 


CHAPTER      XXV. 

1750-1770. 

Though  the  Sacramental  Test  was  still  in  force,  the 
Irish  Presbyterians  were  exempted  from  its  operation,  by 
acts  of  indemnity  passed  from  time  to  time,  throughout 
the  reign  of  George  II.  and  part  of  George  Hi's.  These 
acts  were  the  dictates  of  political  necessity,  the  safety  of 
the  country  being  imperiled  by  the  appearance  of  the 
Pretender,  while  the  loyalty  of  the  Eomish  population 
could  not  be  depended  upon.  While  the  population 
of  Ulster  was  prevented  from  increasing  by  a  succes- 
sion of  hard  winters  and  bad  harvests,  and  an  exten- 
sive emigration  to  America,  the  Presbyterian  part  of 
it  was  growing  at  the  rate  of  one  new  church  per  an- 
num, for  a  period  of  thirty  years  ;  the  whole  number 
of  ministers  in  1751  being  one  hundred  and  fifty-one, 
besides  thirteen  in  the  Presbytery  of  Antrim. 

This  increase  diminishing  the  amount  of  Eegium 
Donum  received  by  each,  repeated  efforts  were  made 
for  the  augmentation  of  its  aggregate  amount,  which 
was  seconded  by  Lord  Chesterfield  and  Alexander 
Stewart,  a  staunch  Presbyterian,  father  of  the  first 
Lord  Londonderry,  and  grandfather  of  the  great  Lord 
Castlereagh,  who  was  baptized  in  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  though  educated  an  Episcopalian.  The  last 
attempt  of  this  kind  made  for  many  years  was  in  1749. 


330  SMALL  SALARIES.  [Ch.  XXY. 

The  sum  now  received  by  eacli  minister  amounted  to 
little  more  tlian  £9  annually.  A  double  portion  was 
voluntarily  given  to  a  few  of  the  ministers,  who  la- 
bored in  feeble  churches.  Another  benevolent  ar- 
rangement of  this  period,  which  also  occasioned  some 
relief  to  the  weaker  congregations,  was  the  plan  of  the 
wealthier  churches  contributing  annually  a  fixed  sum 
towards  the  support  of  those  ministers  whose  congrega- 
tions could  give  them  but  a  small  salary. 

The  income  of  most  of  the  ministers  of  the  Greneral 
Synod  at  this  period  was  so  small  that  but  few  of 
them  could  lay  up  any  provision  for  their  families,  and 
at  every  meeting  of  the  Synod  cases  of  distress  urgently 
claiming  their  sympathy  and  aid  were  presented.  As 
early  as  1697  allowances  were  made  out  of  the  Kegium 
Donum  to  the  widows  and  families  of  ministers,  and  at 
different  times  afterwards  steps  were  taken  for  the  es- 
tablishment of  a  permanent  fund.  But  the  system  was 
matured  by  Sir  William  Bruce,  an  elder  in  Wood 
street  Dublin,  and  adopted  in  1750  by  the  Synod  of  Ul- 
ster. This  institution,  known  as  the  "  Widows'  Fund," 
being  thus  established,  the  Presbytery  of  Antrim  was 
invited  to  join  in  the  scheme,  which  brought  the  two 
bodies  often  into  contact  and  communication,  and  pro- 
moted their  reunion.  This  union  was  also  facilitated 
by  the  growth  of  New  Light  doctrine  in  the  Synod. 
These  views  had  been  gradually  growing  stronger 
through  the  influence  of  the  pupils  of  Professor  Simp- 
son, of  Grlasgow,  and  of  Dr.  William  Hamilton  and 
Dr.  John  Groady,  of  Edinburg.  But  of  all  tliose  who 
filled  chairs  in  the  Scottish  universities  during  the  first 
half  of  the  eighteenth  century,  no  one  was  more  in- 
fluential in  moulding  the  minds  of  young  men  prepar- 


l'?51.]  HERESIES   IN   SCOTLAND.  331 

ing  for  the  sacred  office  than  Dr.  Francis  Hutcheson, 
Professor  of  Moral  Philosophy,  in  Glasgow,  who  was 
the  first  to  introduce  the  custom  of  lecturing  in  Eng- 
lish into  that  university.  So  great  was  his  reputation, 
that  students  flocked  to  his  class  not  only  from  all  parts 
of  Scotland,  but  also  from  England  and  from  Ireland. 
Dr.  Witherspoon,  a  contemporary  of  Hutcheson,  in  his 
"  Ecclesiastical  Characteristics,"  represents  him  as  the 
great  promoter  of  that  formal  and  heartless  religion 
which  prevailed  so  extensively  in  Scotland  about  the 
middle  of  the  last  century. 

The  colleagues  of  Dr.  Hutcheson  were  nearly  all 
men  of  kindred  principles,  among  whom  was  Dr.  "Wil- 
liam Leechman,  who  was  appointed  to  the  chair  of 
Systematic  Divinity  in  1743,  but  was  soon  after  ar- 
raigned by  the  Presbytery  for  heresy,  but  the  preva- 
lence of  moderatism  enabled  him  to  escape.  There  is 
strong  reason  to  believe  that  Leechman  was  a  Unita- 
rian in  heart,  and  during  the  seventeen  years  in  which 
he  filled  his  chair,  according  to  his  biographer,  "  no 
decisive  judgment  on  any  great  controverted  point  was 
ever  delivered  from  that  theological  chair.  After  the 
point  had  undergone  a  full  discussion,  none  of  the 
students  yet  knew  the  particular  opinion  of  this  ven- 
erable Professor." 

It  was  to  the  instruction  given  to  the  students  at 
Glasgow  that  we  trace  the  rise  and  increase  of  New 
Light  principles  in  the  Synod  of  Ulster.  Efforts  were 
made  by  the  orthodox  members  of  the  Synod  to  stay 
the  evil  by  passing  resolutions  to  enforce  subscription 
to  the  Westminister  Confession,  but  it  was  apparent  to 
all  that  the  number  of  evansrelical  ministers  was  an- 
nually  declining,  and  many  of  the  people  were  passing 


382      LOW  STATE  OF  THE  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH.   [Ch.  XXY. 

over  to  the  Secession.  The  evil  continued  to  increase, 
until  in  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  after  the  sep- 
aration of  the  Presbytery  of  Antrim,  the  'New  Light 
party  had  a  complete  preponderance  of  influence  and 
talent  in  the  Synod  of  Ulster. 

While  the  raocleratism  of  the  Scottish  colleges  exer- 
cised a  powerful  influence  upon  Irish  Presbjterians, 
the  condition  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  both  in  England 
and  Ireland,  had  its  effect.  In  Ireland  there  was  not 
one  active  evangelical  minister  in  the  establishment, 
and  scarcely  a  Bishop  could  be  named  who  labored 
to  promote  the  spiritual  interests  of  his  diocese.  The 
Primate,  Dr.  Stone,  was  immersed  in  politics,  and  sac- 
rificed religion  and  morality  to  gain  adherents;  and 
Bishop  Clayton  was  an  avowed  and  zealous  Unitarian. 
In  1751  he  published  his  famous  "Essay  on  Spirit," 
which,  if  not  written,  was  adopted  by  him,  and  ad- 
dressed in  a  dedication  to  the  Primate  of  Ireland.  As 
its  reputed  author  was  a  northern  Prelate  the  ministers 
of  the  Synod  of  Ulster  read  it  with  avidity,  by  means 
of  which  the  minds  of  some  were  unsettled. 

Amidst  this  decline  of  the  Ulster  Synod,  the  Sece- 
ders  were  making  steady  progress.  On  the  11th  of 
April  1750,  the  Eeverend  Alexander  Stewart  was  or- 
dained b\^  the  Anti-Burgher  Presbytery  of  Grlasgow, 
and  settled  in  the  congregation  of  Drumachose,  and  on 
the  next  day  the  first  Associate  Presbytery  established 
in  Ireland,  consisting  of  Messrs.  Patton,  Arrott  and 
Stewart  was  constituted  at  Arkilly,  near  Newtownlim- 
avady,  and  in  May  1751  the  number  was  increased 
by  the  ordination  and  installation  of  Mr.  John  Ten- 
nant,  a  probationer  of  the  Anti -Burgher  Presbytery  of 


1751-54.]     THE  SECEDERS  STILL  INCREASE.      333 

Edinburg,  and  in  1753  their  number  had  increased  to 
seven. 

The  Burghers  were  no  less  active  and  prosperous. 
Through  the  neglect  of  the  Synod  to  establish  new 
congregations,  the  Seceders  gained  many  points  of  in- 
fluence. At  Clennanees  the  people  had  put  up  a  small 
building  with  the  consent  of  the  Presbytery  of  Mon- 
aghan,  where  they  were  to  have  religious  services  once 
a  month  ;  but  being  greatly  neglected  they  complained 
to  the  Synod  in  1748  that  no  minister  had  preached  to 
their  congregation  for  several  months,  and  gaining  no 
relief  it  finally  led  to  the  settlement  of  a  Burgher  min- 
ister. At  IS'ewbliss,  in  the  same  Presbytery,  through 
the  apathy  of  the  Synod  a  Seceding  minister  was  also 
settled  in  1753. 

On  the  23d  of  July  1751,  Mr.  Thomas  Clark,  a 
licentiate  of  the  Burgher  Presbytery  of  Grlasgow,  was 
ordained  and  settled  at  Ballibay,  and  on  the  next  day 
the  first  Burgher  Presbytery  formed  in  Ireland  was 
constituted,  consisting  of  Messrs.  Black,  Mayn  and 
Clark,  and  designated  the  "  Associate  Presbytery  of 
Down."  They  were  strengthened  in  1753  by  the  addi- 
tion of  the  Keverend  Hugh  M'Gill.  The  people  of 
Kewbliss,  who  had  lately  withdrawn  from  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  the  Synod  of  Ulster,  now  invited  Reverend 
John  Thomson  to  become  their  pastor,  and  he  was  or- 
dained on  the  24th  of  August  1754,  and  in  the  next 
year  Reverend  John  M'Auley,  and  the  Reverend  Will- 
iam Knox,  were  settled  over  Burgher  congregations. 
Mr.  Clark  of  Ballibay,  who  had  formerly  itinerated 
through  Ulster  and  attracted  attention  by  his  uncouth 
dress  and  manner,  published  in  1754  a  pamphlet  en- 
titled, "  A  Brief  Survey,  etc.,"  in  answer  to  the  attacks 


334  CLARK  OF  BALLIBAY.  [Ch.  XXY. 

on  the  Secession  by  Delap,  Lynd,  Peebles  and  others, 
which  was  answered  in  1754  by  the  Eeverend  John 
Semple.  In  1765,  Mr.  Clark  rejoined  in  a  pamphlet 
entitled,  "New  Light  set  in  a  Clear  Light,"  and  this 
closed  the  controversy.  Public  documents  which  are 
still  extant  illustrate  the  character  of  this  devoted 
man,  and  attest  with  the  utmost  clearness  that  the 
spirit  of  God  unequivocally  acknowledged  the  minis- 
try of  the  early  Seceders. 

While  Mr.  Clark  was  thus  engaged  in  his  labors  in 
Ulster  he  became  the  victim  of  a  conspiracy,  formed 
by  the  Eev.  James  Jackson  of  Ballibay,  whose  congre- 
gation had  been  greatly  diminished  by  bis  preaching. 
Accordingly,  in  the  month  of  March,  1752,  he  was 
summoned  to  appear  before  the  magistrates,  on  the 
ground  that  he  held  treasonable  principles,  and  was  de- 
signing against  the  House  of  Hanover.  But  those  ac- 
quainted with  the  history  of  Mr.  Clark  knew  that  he 
hazarded  his  life  in  the  service  of  his  Sovereign,  when 
the  Pretender  was  in  Scotland ;  but  because  he  disap- 
proved of  the  ordinary  mode  of  swearing  by  kissing 
the  gospel,  which  was  opposed  by  the  whole  body  of 
Seceders,  and  objected  to  the  phraseology  of  a  part  of 
the  oath  of  abjuration,  the  charge  of  treason  was 
brought  against  him. 

It  appears  that  Mr.  Clark  had  obtained  some  inti- 
mation of  the  plot,  and  had  provided  certificates  from 
prominent  men  of  his  being  a  peaceable  and  faithful 
subject ;  but  these  were  disregarded,  and  he  was  com- 
manded to  take  tbe  oath  of  abjuration  in  the  usual 
form,  which  he  refusing  to  do  was  fined.  Not  satisfied 
with  this,  his  enemies,  in  the  autumn  of  the  same  year, 
issued  a  second  summons,  which  he  fearing  would  be 


1754-58.] 


ACTS  OF  THE  SYNOD.  335 


attended  with  more  serious  consequences  retired  to 
Scotland,  where  he  remained  for  three  months.  On 
his  return,  in  January,  1754,  he  was  again  arrested 
•and  cast  into  prison,  where  he  remained  until  April, 
but  was  liberated  on  account  of  an  informahtj  con- 
nected with  his  committal.  Mr.  Clark  was  the  only 
Associate  minister  settled  in  Ireland  who  was  impris- 
oned in  consequence  of  his  scruples  relative  to  the  oath 
of  abjuration. 

In  May,  1764,  Mr.  Clark,  with  about  three  hundred 
other  Presbyterian  emigrants,  removed  to  America 
in  a  vessel  which  had  been  sent  to  Narrowwater, 
near  ISTewry,  for  the  purpose  of  their  conveyance.  He 
died  minister  of  a  congregation  at  Long  Cane,  Abbe- 
ville, South  Carolina,  toward  the  en^  of  the  year  1792. 
One  of  his  sons  attained  the  dignity  of  an  American 
judge. 

The  declining  state  of  the  Ulster  Synod  was  indi- 
cated by  the  small  attendance  at  its  meetings,  seldom 
more  than  one  half,  and  sometimes  scarcely  one  third, 
of  the  ministers  being  present.  This  led,  at  the  Synod 
of  1752,  to  a  renewed  proposal  for  a  delegated  body ; 
but  this,  though  sent  down  to  the  Presbyteries,  had  no 
other  effect  than  an  attempt,  in  1757,  to  constrain 
attendance. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Synod  in  1758  an 
attempt  was  made  by  the  friends  of  the  Non -Subscribers 
to  renew  their  ecclesiastical  intercourse,  and  a  motion 
was  unanimously  adopted  expressing  the  desire  of  the 
Synod  that  a  correspondence  should  be  held  between 
all  dissenting  bodies  for  the  purpose  of  '*  mutual  en- 
couragement in  their  general  interest,"  and  so  that  they 
might  "  appear  to  the  world  as  one  body,"  and  engaged 


386  REASONS  FOR   UNION.  [Ch.  XXV. 

in  one  common  cause ;  and  some  ministers  were  ap- 
pointed to  write  to  the  Presbytery  of  Antrim,  and  to 
Dr.  Duchal,  one  of  the  Non-Subscribing  ministers  of 
Dublin,  that  correspondents  might  be  sent  to  meet  the 
next  Greneral  Synod.  This  resolution  was  passed  at  a 
private  meeting  of  the  Synod,  attended  almost  exclu- 
sively by  ministers,  and  toward  the  close  of  the  ses- 
sion ;  yet  it  illustrates  the  change  which  had  taken 
place  in  the  Synod  of  Ulster  since  1726.  It  is  not 
strange  that  it  met  with  the  ready  acquiescence  of  the 
ministers  who  happened  to  be  present,  as  they  were 
now  so  generally  infected  with  doctrinal  errors.  The 
respectability  of  some  of  the  Non-Subscribers,  as  well 
as  the  high  social  position  of  some  of  the  laity  adher- 
ing to  them,  suggested  to  the  members  of  the  Synod 
that  they  would  add  to  their  own  influence  and  credit 
by  a  renewal  of  ecclesiastical  intercourse.  The  cele- 
brated Dr.  John  Leland,  minister  of  the  Eustice  street 
Church,  Dublin,  was  a  leading  man  among  the  Non- 
Subscribers,  and  his  name  led  some  to  think  more 
favorably  of  his  views  on  ecclesiastical  polity. 

At  the  opening  of  the  Synod  of  1759  three  delegates 
from  the  Presbytery  of  Antrim  presented  themselves 
as  being  commissioned,  in  answer  to  the  resolution  of 
the  last  Synod.  This  took  many  by  surprise,  as  they 
did  not  consider  the  resolution  of  their  private  meet- 
ing as  inviting  the  Non-Subscribers  to  a  formal  parti- 
cipation in  their  ecclesiastical  deliberations ;  and  in  the 
explanations  which  followed  some  of  the  more  zealous 
friends  of  the  Non-Subscribers,  among  whom  Mr. 
Cherry  was  still  conspicuous,  were  much  dissatisfied, 
and  for  several  years  afterwards  there  was  but  little 
correspendence  between  the  two  bodies.    On  the  death 


1760.] 


INCKEASE  OF   ERROR.  337 


of  George  IL,  in  1760,  the  Synod  and  the  Presbytery 
of  Antrim  united  in  an  address  of  congratulation  to  the 
new  Sovereign ;  and  in  order  that  they  might  "  appear 
in  the  eyes  of  the  world  as  one  body,"  they  agreed,  on 
this  occasion,  to  describe  themselves  as  ''  the  Presby- 
terian Ministers  of  the  Northern  Association  in  Ire- 
Imd."  They  employed  the  same  designation  two  years 
later,  when  congTatulating  George  II.  on  the  birth  of 
the  Prince  of  Wales. 

For  many  years  the  ministers  belonging  to  the  Gen- 
eral Synod  and  the  Presbytery  of  Antrim  had  been 
trained  under  the  same  theological  professors,  which 
will  account  for  their  inclination  to  fraternize  ;  and 
the  dread  of  alienating  the  orthodox  laity  was  the 
great  reason  why  the  majority  of  the  Synod  did  not 
seek  to  consummate  a  union.  The  Seceders  at  this 
period  did  not  make  great  progress,  but  two  additions 
of  ministers  being  made  to  their  number  from  1755  to 
1763.  This  is  partially  accounted  for  from  the  poverty 
of  the  country,  caused  by  a  famine  which  affected  Ul- 
ster in  1757,  falling  with  the  greatest  severity  upon  the 
supporters  of  the  Secession,  who  were  principally  from 
among  the  lower  classes.  Ministers  and  licentiates  were 
unwilling  to  take  charge  of  congregations,  where  there 
was  little  hope  of  a  support. 

At  the  Synod  of  1760  the  Eev.  Charles  Beatty,  a 
member  of  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  presented 
an  address  from  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia  and  New 
York,  setting  forth  the  distressed  condition  of  Presby- 
terian ministers  in  the  new  world,  and  earnestly  apply- 
ing for  assistance.  Mr.  Beatty  met  with  a  most  cordial 
reception  from  the  Synod  ;  and  his  description  of  the 
wretched  condition  of  his  brethren  in  America  awak- 

15 


338  DR.   BEATTY.  VISITS   IRELAND.  [Ch.  XXV. 

ened  such  a  deep  and  general  sympathy,  that  with  great 
unanimity  they  appointed  a  day  for  taking  up  collec- 
tions in  all  their  congregations,  in  aid  of  the  American 
sufferers.  On  this  occasion  the  Irish  Presbyterians,  out 
of  their  deep  poverty,  contributed  upwards  of  £400, 
which  was  acknowledged  in  a  letter  addressed  to  the 
Synod,  dated  February  12,  1763.  A  few  years  before 
this  a  petition  was  presented  to  the  Synod  by  the  Rev. 
Gilbert  Tennent,  a  native  of  Ulster,  in  the  name  of  the 
Synod  of  New  York,  and  the  trustees  of  the  infant 
College  of  New  Jersej^,  requesting  "One  Sabbath  day's 
collection  in  the  several  congregations,  to  assist  in  the 
establishment  of  the  new  seminary."  It  is  worthy  of 
note  here,  that  the  Rev.  Dr.  Samuel  Finley,  President 
of  the  College  of  New  Jersey  from  1761  to  1766,  was 
an  emigrant  from  the  province  of  Ulster,  and  a  native 
of  Armagh. 

The  doctrinal  defection  in  the  Synod  of  Ulster  be- 
came evident  at  its  meeting  in  1763.  The  Rev.  Gilbert 
Kennedy,  who  succeeded  Kirkpatrick  in  the  Non- Sub- 
scribing congregation  of  Belfast,  although  still  con- 
nected with  the  Synod,  opened  the  session  with  a  ser- 
mon, for  which  he  received  the  unanimous  thanks  of 
the  house,  and  was  requested  to  print  it  for  public  edi- 
fication. This  discourse  is  a  specimen  of  the  theology 
which  the  Synod  was  now  disposed  to  patronize,  and 
proves  to  what  extent  the  largest  section  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  in  Ireland  had  departed  from  its  original 
principles.  His  allusion  to  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel 
are  most  vague  and  unsatisfactory  ;  and  he  obviously 
considers  subscription  to  the  Confession  of  Faith  as  the 
most  intolerable  of  all  ecclesiastical  grievances.  It  is 
evident  from  the  reception  which  his  sermon  received 


^■^^^^.j  C^SE   OF  NELSON.  339 

from  the  Synod,  that  they  were  only  restrained  from 
an  attempt  to  set  aside,  or  at  least  modify,  the  standing 
order  relative  to  subscription,  by  the  attachment  of  the 
mass  of  the  laity  to  the  Westminster  formularies. 

Hesitating  to  make  this  change,  they  pursued  the  less 
constitutional  way  of  conniving  at  the  evasion  of  the 
law,  as  exhibited  in  a  case  before  this  Synod.  The 
Kev.  John  Nelson  had  settled  in  Ballykelly,  in  Octo- 
ber, 1762,  and  soon  after  awakened  the  indignation  of 
his  people  by  the  manner  in  which  he  spoke  of  the 
Confession  of  Faith  and  its  tenets,  in  his  public  servi- 
vices.  Becoming  more  and  more  dissatisfied,  they 
tabled  a  complaint  against  him  before  the  Presbytery 
of  Derry ;  but  they,  instead  of  examining  the  charges  on 
the  evidence,  at  first  '^enjoined"  Mr.  Nelson  "to  use 
his  best  endeavors  to  remove  any  suspicion"  of  his 
soundness  in  the  faith,  and  then  referred  the  whole 
case  to  the  decision  of  the  Synod.  There  could  be  no 
doubt  of  his  heterodoxy,  for  in  a  published  letter  he 
denounces  all  creeds  as  "  engines  of  discord  ;"  describes 
Adam,  when  in  Paradise,  as  '*  a  mere  simpleton,  an 
abject  slave  of  his  appetites,  and  iin  easy  dupe  to  im- 
portunity ;"  and  asserts  that  "  the  bulk  of  the  Christian 
world  for  thirteen  hundred  years  past  have  not  wor- 
shipped the  true  God,  but  one  of  their  own  invention." 
This  last  quotation  is,  perhaps,  the  first  approach  to  an 
avowal  of  Unitarianism  ever  made  by  a  minister  who 
had  been  a  member  of  the  General  Synod. 

This  case  was  brought  before  the  Synod  and  ex- 
amined in  detail,  and  although  Mr.  Nelson  admitted 
some  of  the  counts  in  the  indictment,  and  his  defence 
on  the  other  parts  was  suspicious  and  equivocal,  the 


340  STEPS   TOWARDS   REUNION.  [Ch.  XXV. 

Synod  agreed  to  an  almost  unanimous  verdict  of  '^  not 
proved." 

The  Synod,  at  its  meeting  in  1767,  took  another  step 
towards  a  reunion  with  the  Presbytery  of  Antrim.  A 
resolution  was  unanimously  adopted  inviting  the  Kon- 
Subscribing  Presbytery  to  "  correspond  "  with  the  Sy- 
nod. The  proposed  correspondence  was  intended  to 
bring  the  two  bodies  nearer  together  than  they  had 
ever  been  since  the  separation  ;  it  implied  that  they 
should  send  to  the  Greneral  Synod  representatives  who 
should  be  fully  entitled  to  take  part  in  all  its  dehber- 
ations.  The  Presbytery  of  Antrim,  while  thej^  cordi- 
ally accepted  this  invitation^  at  the  same  time  stated 
that  thev  did  not  intend  to  avail  themselves  of  all  the 
privileges  which  the  Synod  now  desired  to  confer,  ex- 
pressing their  readiness  to  give  their  opinion  with  free- 
dom and  candor  when  asked,  but  wished  to  be  excused 
from  giving  their  votes  in  anything  that  implied  juris- 
diction. 

About  the  middle  of  this  century  two  missionaries 
of  the  Eeformed  Presbyterian  Church,  or  Mountain 
Ministers^  as  they  were  sometimes  called,  came  over 
from  Scotland  and  preached  in  various  parts  of  Ulster, 
attracting  considerable  attention.  These  were  the  Eev. 
Thomas  Cuthbertson,  and  the  Eev.  John  Cameron.  In 
1752  Mr.  Cuthbertson  emigrated  to  America,  under  the 
direction  of  the  Eeformed  Presbytery  in  Scotland  ;  and 
in  1755  Mr.  Cameron,  renouncing  the  principles  of  the 
Covenanting  Church,  joined  the  Synod  of  Ulster,  and 
was  settled  as  minister  of  Dunluce.  Soon  after  his 
settlement  here  he  became  infected  with  the  New 
Light  Divinity,  and  finally  settled  down  -in  Unitarian- 
ism.     In  1767  he  published  a  tract,  in  which  he  en- 


1769.]  COVENANTERS.  841 

deavored  to  prove  that  "  the  several  systems  of  human 
articles  in  the  Reformed  Churches  have  a  direct  ten- 
dency to  root  out  all  appearance  of  conscience  and 
honesty  from  among  men."  Although  this  little  work 
was  published  anonymously,  yet  its  author  soon  became 
known ;  but  instead  of  receiving  ecclesiastical  censure, 
he  was  the  next  year  chosen  moderator  of  the  General 

Synod. 

For  twenty  years  the  Synod  of  Ulster  had  been 
gradually  degenerating,  and  the  period  just  closing 
marks  a  dreary  period  in  the  history  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church.  From  1756  to  1769  only  two  congre- 
gations had  been  added  to  the  Synod,  and  both  of 
these  met  with  much  opposition.  The  Seceders  were 
also  in  a  declining  state,  and  the  reputation  of  their 
body  was  greatly  injured  by  the  unbecoming  conduct 
of  some  of  their  ministers.  The  Reformed  Presby- 
terians had  a.  few  feeble  congregations  to  whom  their 
ministers  faithfully  proclaimed  the  way  of  salvation, 
but  their  refusal  to  recognize  the  civil  government  of 
the  county,  and  other  peculiarities,  were  insuperable 
obstacles  in  the  way  of  their  prosperity. 


CHAPTER     XXVI. 

1770-1793. 

The  state  of  the  Church  at  the  beginning  of  this 
period  was  evinced  not  only  by  cases  of  misconduct  in 
its  members  but  by  its  decline  of  members,  fewness  of 
candidates  for  the  ministry,  and  the  relaxation  of  the 
old  rule  both  as  to  study  and  subscription,  which  last 
it  was  formally  proposed  to  abolish,  but  the  measure 
was  abandoned  for  prudential  reasons. 

Soon  after  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Nelson  of  his 
charge  at  Ballykelly,  Mr.  Benjamin  M'Dowel  was  ap- 
pointed his  successor.  This  excellent  minister  was  born 
in  Elizabethtown,  New  Jersey,  and  was  for  some  time 
a  student  of  the  college  at  Princeton,  from  which  he 
removed  to  the  University  of  Glasgow,  and  was 
licensed  by  the  Presbytery  of  Glasgow  in  1765.  He 
was  a  sound  divine,  a  graceful  and  dignified  speaker, 
a  man  of  singular  piety,  and  a  most  acceptable  preacher, 
and  was  for  fifty  years  a  leading  member  of  the  Irish 
Church.  Soon  after  his  settlement  in  Ireland  the  Eev. 
John  Cameron  published  his  pamphlet  against  the  sub- 
scription of  creeds  and  confessions,  which  was  answered 
the  next  year  by  M'Dowel,  in  a  reply  distinguished  for 
its  candor,  modesty,  and  good  sense.  Mr.  Cameron 
rejoined,  and  the  controversy  was  continued  for  seve- 
ral years,  throughout  the  whole  of  which  Mr.  M'Dowel 
conducted  the  argument  with  an  ability  and  learning 


1774.]  CASE   OF   STEPHENSON.  848 

alike  creditable  to  himself  and  serviceable  to  the  cause 
which  he  advocated  ;  and  it  was  through  his  able  vin- 
dication of  the  Westminster  Standards  that  the  law  of 
subscription  was  not  formally  repealed. 

The  supporters  of  the  Westminster  Confession  were 
now  the  minority  in  the  Synod  of  Ulster,  and  in  some 
Presbyteries  this  formulary  was  never  mentioned  in 
cases  of  license  and  ordination.  The  orthodox  minis- 
ters, aware  of  their  numerical  inferiority,  and  the  hete- 
rodox, afraid  of  creating  discord  in  their  congregations, 
w^ere  content  that  the  law  in  regard  to  subscription 
should  continue  a  dead  letter.  This  condition  of  affairs 
is  illustrated  by  the  instance  of  a  licentiate  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Templepatrick  named  Stephenson.  Having 
received  a  call  within  the  bounds  of  the  Presbytery  of 
Bangor,  fears  were  entertained  of  his  orthodoxy,  which 
were  augmented  by  his  refusal  to  subscribe  the  Wes- 
minster  Confession,  and  the  Presbytery  hesitated  to 
install  him.  In  the  meantime  the  people,  becoming 
impatient,  threatened  to  join  the  Southern  Associ- 
ation, or  the  Presbj^tery  of  Antrim,  which  decided 
the  Presbytery  to  proceed,  and  he  was  ordained  and 
installed  on  the  20th  of  June,  1774,  six  members 
protesting  against  the  action.  A  few  days  after,  the 
Synod  met  in  Antrim  and  sustained  the  action  of  the 
Presbytery,  and  formed  the  dissentient  members  into  a 
new  Presbytery,  entitled  the  Presbytery  of  Belfast. 
For  more  than  fifty  years  the  Presbytery  of  Bangor 
continued  to  license  and  ordain  without  any  reference 
to  the  Confession,  while  the  Presbytery  of  Belfast  in- 
sisted steadily  upon  subscription. 

The  agrarian  excesses  began  at  this  period  to  disturb 
various  districts  in  the  north  of  Ireland.     Armed  bands 


844  OCTENNIAL  ACT.  [Ch.  XXYI. 

of  peasants,  calling  themselves  Hearts  of  Steel  and  Hearts 
of  Oah^  went  up  and  down  the  land  administering  ille- 
gal oaths,  regulating  rents,  and  committing  outrages. 
The  members  of  the  Synod  from  the  beginning  con- 
demed  these  proceedings,  and  attempted,  in  public  and 
orivate,  to  put  a  stop  to  them  ;  and  one  of  their  minis- 
ters, the  Kev.  Samuel  Morell  of  TuUyish,  was  killed  in 
1772  in  defending  the  house  of  a  neighboring  gentle- 
man from  their  attack.  The  grievances  which  caused 
these  outbreaks,  unequal  laws  and  tyranny  of  land- 
lords, drove  great  numbers  to  America,  and  probably 
contributed  to  its  separation  from  the  mother  country. 
Among  those  emigrants  were  several  ministers  from 
Ulster,  both  of  the  Synod  and  SecessioD,  though  the 
Anti-Burgher  Synod  (in  Scotland)  refused  permission 
to  their  ministers  in  Ireland ;  but  Martio,  of  Bangor, 
one  of  their  number,  did  go  over  in  1773. 

Externally  the  Presb3^terian  body  was  increasing  in 
importance,  as  being  a  check  or  balance  to  the  Papists. 
The  passage  of  the  Octennial  Act  limiting  the  duration 
of  parliaments  to  eight  years,  gave  still  greater  influ- 
ence to  the  Presbyterians,  who  formed  an  overwhelm- 
ing majority  of  the  Ulster  freeholders.  But  the  Pies- 
byterian  influence  was  most  felt  in  the  organization  of 
the  Irish  Volunteers.  The  regular  troops  being  at  this 
time  engaged  in  the  war  in  which  the  American  colo- 
nies achieved  their  indejoendence,  and  and  the  dread 
of  a  French  invasion  being  very  general,  the  country 
was  encouraged  by  government  to  take  precautions  for 
its  own  defence.  Accordingly,  the  Protestants  of  the 
north  formed  themselves  into  companies,  elected  their 
ofi&cers,  and  assembled  at  stated  times  for  drill.  But 
their  meetings  assumed  as  much  of  a  political  as  of  a 


1778.] 


VOLUNTEERS.  345 


military  aspect;  for  on  these  occasions  they  heard 
patriotic  speeches,  passed  bold  resolutions,  and  sent 
forward  petitions  to  Parliament.  The  first  organiza- 
tion was  at  Belfast,  and  continued  for  fifteen  years ; 
and  as  the  Presbyterians  composed  the  great  majority 
of  the  volunteers,  their  claims  during  that  time  re- 
ceived prompt  and  unwonted  attention  from  the  Leg- 
islature. 

In  June,  1778,  about  three  months  after  the  appear- 
ance of  the  Volunteers,  an  attempt  was  made  in  the 
Irish  House  of  Commons  to  repeal  the  Sacramental 
Test.     The  Commons,  fearing  that  the  example  of  the 
American  colonies  might  be  followed  in  Ireland,  deemed 
it  prudent  to  make  an  effort  to  conciliate  the  Koman 
Catholics,  and  accordingly  a  bill  was  brought  in  for  this 
purpose  ;  and  as  the  Sacramental  Test  formed  a  part  of 
the  statute  for  the  discouragement  of  Popery,  a  clause 
was  appended  to  the  bill  for  its  repeal.     This  bill  was 
passed,  and  sent  to  England  ;  but  on  its  return  the 
clause  was  found  to  have  been  thrown  out.    This  caused 
great  indignation    in  the  Irish  Commons,  and  Crat- 
tan  publicly  charged  the  supporters  of  the  government 
with  having  insincerely  consented  to  the  introduction 
of  the  clause,  merely  that  the  bill  might,  in  the  first  in- 
stance, pass  the  more  easily  through  the  Lower  House 
of  Parliament.     "  When  it  came  back,"  said  he,  "  the 
bait  was  off;  and  the  naked  hook  discovered."     The 
bill,  as  returned  from  England,  was  passed  with  dif- 
ficulty. 

But  the  demands  of  the  Irish  Protestants  could  not 
longer  be  neglected.  Between  August,  1778,  and  Oc- 
tober, 1779,  the  Volunteers  increased  rapidly,  so  that 
on  the  reassembling  of  Parliament  they  amounted  to 

15* 


346  REPEAL   OF  THE  TEST  ACT.  [Ch.  XXYl. 

forty-two  tliousand  men,  and  the  demands  of  the  peo- 
ple were  made  in  a  tone  wMch  could  not  be  misunder- 
stood. Accordingij,  on  the  12th  of  October,  1779,  the 
first  day  of  the  session,  a  bill  for  the  repeal  of  the  Sac- 
ramental Test  was  introduced  by  Sir  Edward  Newen- 
ham,  and  was  passed  unanimously,  and  sent  to  the 
Lord  Lieutenant,  who,  after  much  delay,  sent  it  to 
England,  from  whence  it  was  returned  unaltered  on 
the  11th  of  March,  1780 ;  and  as  soon  after  as  the  forms 
of  Parliament  would  admit  it  was  passed  into  a  law. 
The  Presbyterians  felt  that  they  were  indebted  for  this 
piece  of  tardy  justice,  not  so  much  to  the  enlightened 
wisdom  of  fraternal  rulers,  as  to  the  brilliant  array  of 
their  own  armed  advocates.  It  is  singular  that  the  re- 
peal of  the  Test  Act  is  not  even  mentioned  in  any 
minute  of  the  Synod  of  Ulster  drawn  up  about  this 
period. 

On  the  15th  of  February,  1782,  a  meeting  of  the 
Volunteers  was  held  in  Dungannon,  embracing  rep- 
resentatives from  one  hundred  and  forty-three  corps. 
At  this  meeting  the  Presbyterians  boldl}^  asserted  their 
independence  of  the  Irish  Legislature,  and  expressed 
their  satisfaction  at  the  repeal  of  the  penal  laws  affect- 
ing the  Roman  Catholics,  and  resolutions  to  maintain 
the  principles  of  constitutional  freedom  were  passed. 
These  resolutions  were  at  once  adopted  with  enthusi- 
asm throughout  the  country  ;  and  as  the  government 
still  refused  to  yield  to  the  popular  demands,  a  terrible 
convulsion  appeared  to  be  approaching.  There  were 
but  five  thousand  regular  troops  in  the  countrj^,  whilst 
the  Volunteers  now  amounted  to  nearly  one  hundred 
thousand  well  armed  and  well  disciplined  men,  united 
and  exasperated. 


1783.]  ENGLISH    PARLIAMENT   YIELDS.  347 

At  this  critical  juncture  tbe  Lord  Lieutenant  sent  in 
his  resignation  ;  but  before  it  was  received  in  England 
a  new  administration  had  been  formed,  headed  by  the 
Marquis  of  Kockingham,  and  the  Duke  of  Portland 
was  appointed  Viceroy  of  Ireland.  The  new  govern- 
ment, though  favorable  to  the  extension  of  popular 
liberty,  hesitated  to  accede  to  the  demands  of  the  Vol- 
unteers ;  but  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  in  a  letter  dated 
April  28,  1782,  writes,  "If  you  delay,  or  refuse  to  be 
liberal,  government  can  not  exist  here  in  its  present 
form  ;  and  the  sooner  you  recall  your  Lord  Lieuten- 
ant, and  renounce  all  claims  to  this  country,  the  bet- 
ter." This  decided  the  government,  and  it  yielded. 
The  Parliament  of  Ireland  was  relieved  from  the  super- 
vision of  the  English  Privy  Council,  and  various  other 
measures  calculated  to  appease  the  public  discontent 
were  legally  confirmed.  By  an  act  of  the  Irish  Parlia- 
ment, marriages  celebrated  among  Protestant  Dissenters 
by  their  own  ministers  were  declared  valid.  This  was 
opposed  by  the  High  Church  party  in  the  House  of  Lords, 
but  was  finally  carried.  About  the  same  time  the  Seced- 
ers  were  afibrded  some  relief,  by  an  act  permitting 
them  to  take  oaths  by  holding  up  the  right  hand,  and 
and  repeating  the  words,  "  I  do  solemnly  and  sincerely 
swear  before  Almighty  God."  But  at  the  same  time 
it  was  provided  that  no  Seceder  should  be  qualified  or 
admitted  to  give  evidence  in  any  criminal  cause,  or 
serve  on  juries,  or  hold  any  office  or  employment  ol 
trust  under  the  Crown. 

On  the  8th  of  September,  1783,  at  the  close  of  the 
general  election,  a  second  meeting  of  the  Volunteers 
assembled  in  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Dungannon. 
Two  hundred  and  seventy-two  companies  were  repre- 


348  SECOND   MEETING   OF   VOLUNTEERS.     [Ch.  XXVI. 

sented,  and  Colonel  James  Stewart  of  Killjmoon  pre- 
sided over  their  deliberations.  Having  achieved  the 
legislative  independence  of  Ireland,  thej  now  de- 
manded parliamentary  reform  ;  and  to  accomplish  this 
a  convention  was  appointed,  to  meet  in  Dublin  in  ISTo- 
vember;  and  five  deputies  were  chosen  to  represent 
each  county  in  Ulster,  and  the  other  three  provinces 
were  invited  to  send  their  delegates.  They  accord- 
ingly met  at  the  appointed  time,  and  presented  the 
strange  spectacle  of  a  Parliament  and  an  armed  con- 
vention sitting  at  the  same  time,  in  the  same  metrop- 
olis. The  House  of  Commons  resented  this  attempt 
to  intimidate  it,  and  after  sitting  a  few  weeks  the  Con- 
vention adjourned  sine  die. 

While  affairs  were  in  this  condition  the  Eev.  Dr. 
Campbell  of  Armagh  arrived  in  Dublin  for  the  purpose 
of  getting  an  augmentation  of  the  Eegium  Donum.  The 
result  of  his  application  was  an  addition  to  the  Royal 
Bounty  of  £1,000,  w^hich  created  much  disappointment, 
as  it  was  well  understood  that  the  Duke  of  Portland 
had  recommended  an  increase  of  from  £5,000  to  £10,000 
per  annum.  When  the  intelligence  of  the  amount 
reached  Dr.  Campbell,  he  expressed  to  the  Lord 
Lieutenant  his  regret  that  it  was  so  small,  to  which 
he  answered :  "  A  larger  sum  had  been  intended,  but 
that  it  was  opposed  by  men  of  power  in  this  kingdom, 
with  whom  the  public  business  was  transacted."  At 
this  same  period  the  Seceders  received  a  bounty  of 
£500  per  annum,  through  the  exertion  of  the  Earl  of 
Hillsborough,  to  whose  son,  Lord  Kilwarlin,  they  had 
rendered  efficient  service  in  the  recent  election.  ThuSj 
within  forty  years  after  the  ordination  of  its  first  min- 
ister, the  Irish  Secession  Church  was  encouraged  by 
princely  patronage. 


1788.J      BURGHER  AND  ANTI-BUKGHER  SYNODS.        849 

This  grant  being  made  to  the  Associate  ministers, 
■wbetlicr  Burghers  or  Anti-Burghers,  they  were  led  to 
confer  together  with  a  view  to  the  adjustment  of  their 
differences;  and  at  a  meeting  all  the  elders,  and  all  the 
ministers  but  one,  were  prepared  to  consent  to  certain 
terras  of  accommodation.  But  at  this  point  the  Anti- 
Burgher  Synod  of  Scotland  interposed  and  prevented 
the  union.  The  three  Irish  Burgher  Presbyteries  had 
already  been  formed  into  a  Synod  in  1779,  and  was 
not  subject  to  the  Scottish  court  of  the  same  name,  but 
was  recognized  by  it  as  possessed  of  coordinate  author- 
ity, so  that  it  could  act  independently  in  regard  to  t!ie 
question  of  union.  The  two  Irish  Anti-Burgher  Pres- 
byteries were  soon  afterwards  divided  into  four,  and 
formed  into  a  Synod,  which  met  for  the  first  time  iu 
Belfast  in  August  1788,  but  they  still  acknowledged 
the  supervision  of  the  Synod  in  Scotland,  which  for  a 
long  time  prevented  the  union. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  }ear  1786  a  work  from  the 
pen  of  Dr.  Woodward,  Bishop  of  Cloyne,  appeared, 
which  passed  through  nine  editions  in  a  few  months, 
the  object  of  which  was  to  show  that  the  established 
Church  was  necessary  to  the  national  prosperity.  This 
book  was  answered,  among  others,  by  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Campbell  of  Armagh,  who  proves  conclusivel}'  that 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  instead  of  being  unworthy 
of  national  confidence,  has  always  been  the  best  friend 
of  the  British  Constitution,  whereas  prelacy  has  more 
than  once  brought  the  state  to  the  very  verge  of  ruin. 
This  work  of  Campbell  was  answered  by  the  Eev.  Dr. 
Joseph  Stock,  an  ex-fellow  of  Trinity  College,  Dub- 
lin, and  afterwards  Bishop  successively  of  Killala  and 
Waterford.     Dr.  Campbell  replied  to  Stock,  and  here 


850  ACTS   OF  THE   SYNOD   OF   1789.  [Ch.  XXVI. 

tlie  controversy  ended.     Kone  of  these  able  clergymen 
were  truly  orthodox  or  evangelical. 

During  the  course  of  this  controversy  the  Seceders 
and  the  Reformed  Presbytery,  which  had  recently  been 
extending  its  influence  in  the  northern  province,  came 
into  collision,  which  resulted  in  an  oral  disputation 
on  the  distinctive  tenets  of  their  sects,  by  Rev.  John 
Rogers  of  the  Seceders,  and  Mr.  James  M'Garragh,  a 
licentiate  of  the  Reformed  Presbytery. 

The  Synod  held  its  annual  meeting  in  1789  at  Lur- 
gan,    and   the   Rev.  James  Douglas   of    Clough   was 
elected  moderator ;  he  was  one  of  the  officers  of  the 
Volunteers  and  seems  to  have  valued  himself  on  his 
fine  military  appearance,  as  he  frequently  preached  in 
his  regimentals.     This  Synod  was  more   numerously 
attended  than  any  that  had  been  held  since  the  com- 
mencement of  the  Subscription  controversy.     One  of 
its  acts  was  to  confirm  the  appointment  of  the  Rev. 
Robert  Black,  the  Synod's  agent  for  the  Regium  Do- 
num,  in  the    place  of  Mr.  James  Lang.     Mr.  Black 
had  been  elected  to  this  post  at  a  special  meethig  of 
the  Synod,  but  as  it  had  been  objected  to  as  irregular, 
the  Synod  took  this  opportunit}^  to  sanction  its  former 
action.    Mr.  Black  was  a  leading  man  among  the  Pres- 
byterian ministers  of  Ulster,  and  well  qualified  in  every 
respect  for  the  office.     Shortly  after  the  general  elec- 
tion in  1790,  hearing  that  some  of  the  members  of  the 
Irish  Parliament  were  disposed  to  support  a  motion 
for  an  increase  of  the  Royal  Bounty,  he  employed  all 
the  energy  and  address  which  he  possessed  in  forward- 
ing the  design.     Accordingly  the  subject  was  intro- 
duced into  the  House  of  Commons  at  the  suggestion  of 
the  Earl  of  Charlemont,  and  was  cordially  taken  up  by 


1792.]  INCREASE   OF  THE   REGIUM   DONUM.  351 

Mr.  Grattan,  Colonel  Stewart  and  others,  and  an  address 
was  prepared  asking  for  the  increase  and  forwarded 
to  the  King.  But,  as.  it  subsequently  appeared,  the 
wishes  of  the  Commons  had  been  anticipated  ;  for  by 
a  King's  letter  dated  January  21,  1792,  an  additional 
sum  of  five  thousand  pounds  per  annum  was  granted 
''  during  pleasure,  for  the  use  of  the  Presbyterians  in 
Ireland,"  including  the  Seceders,  who,  through  the 
influence  of  the  Earl  of  Hillsborough,  (now  the  Mar- 
quis of  Downshire,)  got  the  largest  sliare. 

The  Koyal  Bounty  was  now  trippled,  but  the  fifteen 
years  from  1779  to  1793  showed  a  fearful  growth  of 
error.  In  1782  tlie  Presbytery  of  Killileagh  published 
a  series  of  resolutions  in  which  the  doctrine  of  imputed 
sin  is  spoken  of  as  blasphemous,  yet  the  Synod  did 
nothing  but  pronounce  the  statement  as  "highly  im- 
prudent and  offensive."  The  year  before  it  was  an- 
nounced that  the  Presbytery  of  Armagh  no  longer 
required  Subscription  of  its  candidates,  but  the  Synod 
deferred  the  discussion,  and  in  the  Synod  of  next  year, 
the  subject  coming  up,  it  was  suggested  that  without 
a  resolution  to  the  contrary,  existing  arrangements 
must  continue,  and  as  no  one  wished  to  propose  a  re- 
peal of  the  law  the  following  remarkable  minute  was 
adopted :— ''  The  affair  of  Subscription  deferred  to  this 
session  being  resumed,  this  motion  was  made— If  no 
one  move  for  a  repeal  of  the  rule  respecting  Subscrip- 
tion, then  the  rule  shall  remain  in  full  force  ;  and  as 
no  one  moved  for  its  repeal,  the  rule  continued."  The 
New  Light  party  seeing  that  they  had  thus  sanctioned 
the  stringent  observance  of  the  law,  at  the  Synod  m 
1783,  introduced  a  resolution  which  was  passed  unan- 
imously that  the  words  "full  force,"  in  ihe   entry  of 


352  NEGLECT  OF  EDUCATION.      [Ch.  XXVI. 

the  preceding  year  should  be  erased  and  the  words  "  as 
■QSLial  "  inserted  in  their  place.  As  the  law  was  now 
usually  neglected,  the  orthodox  party  found  that  they 
had  been  entrapped,  and  at  the  meeting  of  1784,  on 
their  motion  "  it  was  moved  and  agreed  to,  that  the  word 
'  usual '  was  vague  and  improper,  and  that  the  word 
'  full '  in  the  former  minute  was  unnecessary  ;  that 
neither  of  these  terms  be  used,  and  that  the  words  of 
the  minute  stand — that  the  rule  respecting  subscription 
is  xinrepealedP  For  upwards  of  forty  years  afterwards 
the  Synod  continued  in  this  uncomfortable  and  anom- 
alous conditioQ. 

It  is  an  instructive  fact  that  error  was  most  preva- 
lent in  the  Synod  of  Ulster  when  the  course  of  educa- 
tion prescribed  for  students  of  theology  was  most  lim- 
ited. All  the  theological  study  now  required  was  a 
single  session  of  five  months,  so  that  some  of  the  miu- 
isters  scarcely  felt  themselves  competent  for  the  prep- 
aration of  sermons,  and  one  minister  of  better  capacity 
not  unfrequentty  supplied  discourses  to  a  number  of 
his  brethren  in  his  neighborhod.  The  Rev.  John 
Cameron  of  Dunluce,  declared  to  hi-s  intimate  friends 
that  ''his  discourses  were  preached  to  six  congregations 
every  Sabbath  day,"  and  the  Rev.  Andrew  Alexander 
of  Urney  is  known  to  have  assisted  his  brethren  in  tlie 
same  way. 

This  neolect  of  education  was  brought  before  the 

o  o 

Synod  of  1784,  and  the  Rev.  William  Crawford  of 
Strabane  was  encouraged  to  undertake  the  tuition 
of  students  in  logic,  mathematics  and  moral  philoso- 
phy, and  several  ministers  of  the  Synod  of  Ulster 
were  educated  by  him,  but  not  being  remunerative, 
his  school  was  in  a  few  years  discontinued.     In  178G 


l'<92.]  REFORMED   PRESBYTERY   ORGANIZED.  353 

the  Belfast  Academy  was  opened,  but  it  does  not  ap- 
pear that  it  was  ever  attended  by  any  considerable 
number  of  professional  students,  and  the  students  of 
Ulster  were  compelled  still  to  resort  to  the  Universi- 
ties of  Scotland. 

Church  extension  also  kept  pace  with  these  other 
interests.  For  twenty  years,  from  1769  to  1789,  only 
two  or  three  churches  were  erected,  and  those  not  as 
regular  additions  to  the  Synod,  which  resolved  in  1770 
to  recognize  no  congregation  which  could  not  give  se- 
curity for  a  stipend  of  £50.  Meantime  the  Seceders 
were  increasing;  and  in  1792  a  Reformed  Presbj^tery 
was  organized  in  Ireland,  over  which  the  Rev.  William 
Stavely  was  the  great  apostle. 

Political  and  military  movements  had  secularized 
many  of  the  Irish  Presbyterians,  so  that  the  Sabbath 
and  the  Church  were  desecrated  by  political  and  mili- 
tary meetings,  and  strict  observance  of  the  day  became 
a  badge  of  Old  Light  Presbyterians.  Even  the  Cove- 
nanters did  not  escape  the  influence  of  this  ''  military 
mania,"  the  Rev.  William  Stavely  appearing  on  one 
occasion  as  "  reviewing  general"  of  the  Volunteers. 
The  Seceders,  on  the  other  hand,  assembled  vast 
crowds  at  their  sacraments,  which  led  to  great  abuses. 
But  low  as  the  Presbyterian  Church  had  sunk,  the 
Establishment  was  lower  still,  both  as  to  doctrine  and 
morality.  "  Cursing"  curates  were  not  unknown  ;  and 
Bishop  Law  of  Clonfert,  as  the  best  thing  he  could  do 
for  Roman  Catholics,  circulated  among  them  the  in- 
sidious work  of  Gother.  Yet  several  Presbyterians  of 
the  highest  rank  now  joined  the  Church  of  Ireland,  as 
the  more  respectable  and  fashionable. 


CHAPTER    XX  YII. 

1T93-1818. 

Though  the  volunteers  were  now  dissolved,  and  the 
elective  franchise  granted  to  the  Eoman  Catholics,  the 
crj  for  parliamentary  reform,  begun  in  1783,  grew 
louder,  and  seemed  likely  to  be  answered  by  the  ap- 
pointment of  Earl  Fitzwilliam  as  Lord  Lieutenant, 
among  whose  schemes  was  the  endowment  of  a  Roman 
Catholic  college  at  Maynootb,  and  a  Presbyterian  one  at 
Cookstown.  But  Earl  Fitzwilliam  was  suddenly  re- 
called, and  his  successor  did  not  carry  out  the  latter 
plan,  though  Maynooth  was  endowed.  His  removal 
was  followed  by  intense  political  excitement,  and  a 
great  increase  of  immorality  and  infidelity.  The  Peep- 
of-Day  Boys,  the  Defenders,  and  the  Orangemen,  were 
carrying  on  a  civil  war.  The  most  dangerous  of  these 
organizations  was  that  of  the  United  Irishmen,  in 
1798,  designed  to  separate  Ireland  from  England,  as  an 
independent  republic.  This  has  been  charged  upon 
the  Roman  Catholics  and  Presbyterians,  but  the  leaders 
belonged  chiefly  to  the  Established  Church,  and  many 
were  connected  with  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  although 
both  these  institutions  used  their  influence  against  it. 

In  1793,  when  the  proceedings  of  the  French  repub- 
licans were  attracting  much  attention,  and  many  were 
cherishing  treasonable  designs,  the  Synod  of  Ulster 
issued  a  declaration  in  favor  of  parliamentary  reform, 


1798.]  REBELLION.  355 

but  against  all  visionary  schemes,  popular  tumult,  and 
foreicfn  aid.     Throughout  the  next  five  years  the  Irish 
Syt  rian  n.inist:rs  continued  faithfully  to  act  up 
fo  the  sentiments  of  this  declaration.     Dr.  Black,  fte 
leader  of  the  Synod,  incurred  great  obloquy  and  risk 
n  1793  bv  his  public  opposition  to  "Seditious  spirits 
:!  unpSved  tLories."'  He  acknowledged  that  grea 
abuses  existed  in  the  constitution,  f-^  ^f f^  J^  J^^ 
redressed  but  he  knew  of  none  which  would  justify  the 
rist  of  a 'civil  war.     Even  in  Belfast  the  headquarte.. 
of  this  movement,  it  was   openly  denounced  by  Dr 
Bruce  and  other  leading  Presbyterians,  as  it  was  by 
DrM'Dowell  in  Dublin,  who  united  with  others  in 
fp^eial  prayer,  on  Friday  evenings,  for  div..^  pro  «.^ 
tfon     When  the  wide-spread  influence  of  the  United 

I Shmen  is  considered,  it  is  ^-^-^l^tll 
the  Presbyterian  ministers  were  implicated  in  the  le 
Mion.     Of  the  fifty  or  sixty  Seceding  ministers  not 
on    in  twelve  was  implicated,  whereas  two  of  the  nine 
Listers   of  the  Antrim  Presbytery  were  oW,seajo 
leave  the  country,  and  a  third  was  imprisoned  foi  some 
t  me    and  as  ma;y  of  the  eight  or  nine  covenanting 
ministers  were  compromised,  besides  two  young  men 
X  had  just  finished  their  studies,  -d  ^;;bo  atieru^a^s 
became  isunguished  in  America.  Dr.  Wyhe  oi  P.d^ 
delphia,  and  Dr.  Black  of  Pittsburg.     Daiuel  English, 
a  young  Covenanter,  was  executed  on  the  bndgo  a 
Connor!    He  w.^  a  pious  and  amiable  youth,  and  it 
.a.  believed  that  the  evidence  on  which  he  was  «,n- 
victed  was  untrue.   He  was  conducted  trom  the  gu.ard 
hrse  in  Ballymena  to  Connor,  a  distance  ot  about 
four  m,les,  d.essed  m  his  grave  clothes  and  aceom- 
pnnied  bv  a  large  coucours.,  who  jomed  to-t'^ 


356  FEW   PRESBYTEEIANS  IMPLICATED.     [Ch.  XXVII. 

singing  the  119 Lh  Psalm.  As  the  sad  company  trav- 
eled along,  the  "  grave  sweet  melod}'"  of  so  many 
voices  echoed  from  hill  to  hill,  and  produced  a  most 
solemn  impression. 

The  vear  1798  was  one  of  the  darkest  in  the  civil 
history  of  Ireland.  Acts  of  rapine  and  violence  were 
committed  in  open  day,  and  informers  were  encouraged 
by  the  government,  even  when  gnilty  of  the  most  hor- 
rid crimes.  The  insurrection  in  Ulster  was  confined 
to  the  counties  of  Down  and  Antrim,  and  even  here  it 
was  suppressed  in  a  few  days.  During  this  state  of  tu- 
mult the  Anti-Burgher  Presbytery  held  no  meeting, 
and  the  Burgher  Presbytery,  which  met  on  the  31 
of  July,  broke  up  on  the  same  day.  The  Synod  of  Ul- 
ster did  not  meet  until  the  close  of  August,  when  it  as- 
sembled at  Lurgan,  under  the  protection  of  the  troops 
in  the  northern  districts.  The  French,  under  General 
Humbert,  had  now  landed  at  Killala  ;  but  the  Synod 
did  not  hesitate  to  express  its  disapprobation  of  the 
conduct  of  those  under  their  care  who  had  violated 
their  allegiance.  The  sum  of  £500  was  voted  to  the 
government  for  the  defence  of  the  kingdom,  and  an 
address  issued  to  '^jheir  congregations,  remonstrating 
with  those  who  had  enoaored  in  the  rebellion,  at  the 
same  time  expressing  their  satisfaction  that  so  few  of 
their  people  were  implicated.  In  the  reports  of  the 
Presbyteries  to  the  Synod  of  1799,  it  appeared  that 
very  few  of  the  Presbyterian  ministers  had  been  en- 
gaged in  the  rebellion,  and  that  but  one  had  suffered 
capitally.  This  was  the  Rev.  James  Porter,  of  Grrey- 
abbe}^,  who  was  condemned  by  a  court-martial,  and 
executed  in  his  own  church  on  the  2d  of  July,  1798. 
A  son  of  Mr.  Porter  was  a  United  States  Senator  from 


1803.]  THE    UNION.  357 

Louisiana,  and  died  in  1844 — and  another  son  became 
Attorney  Greneral  of  the  same  State.  Three  other  min- 
isters, James  Simpson,  John  Glendy,  and  Thomas  L. 
Birch,  were  allowed  to  eaiigrate  to  America. 

It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  a  large  proportion  of  those 
implicated  were  New  Lights,  among  the  rest  William 
Steel  Dickson,  D.  D.,  who  is  said  to  have  been  ap- 
pointed commander  of  the  rebels  for  the  county  of 
Down,  and  was  imprisoned  for  three  years  at  Fort 
George,  in  Scotland  ;  and  although  he  was  again 
settled  after  his  liberation,  he  was  refused  his  share 
in  the  Kegium  Donum,  and  died  a  pauper  in  Belfast. 
The  suppression  of  this  rebellion  put  an  end  to  the  po- 
litical and  military  mania  of  the  Presbyterians,  and  was 
followed  by  some  faint  indications  of  the  subsequent 
revival. 

The  scheme  of  a  legislative  union  between  Ireland 
and  Great  Britain  was  recon:imended  to  the  Presbyte- 
rians and  Roman  Catholics,  as  likely  to  promote  a  lib- 
eral policy  towards  them,  as  the  Established  Church 
would  then  be  safe,  being  sustained  by  a  majority  of 
the  whole  confederated  population.  No  doubt  several 
prospective  advantages  were  held  out  to  the  members 
of  the  Synod  of  Ulster  to  induce  them  to  acquiesce  in 
the  arrangement,  and  among  others  the  proposition  of 
Lord  Cornwallis  in  1799,  to  erect  a  Presbyterian  uni- 
versity at  Armagh,  and  to  send  a  royal  commissioner 
to  the  Synod  :  but- the  latter  was  objected  to  by  the 
leading  ministers,  and  the  former  by  the  English  Cab- 
inet. It  was  proposed,  however,  to  enlarge  the  Royal 
Bounty,  and  to  change  the  mode  of  distribution,  by 
classifying  the  ministers,  and  giving  a  large  sum  to  a 


858  DISTRIBUTION  OF  ROYAL  BOUNTY.    [Ch.  XXVII. 

few,  a  smaller  sum  to  a  larger  number,  and  a  sum  still 
smaller  to  the  mass. 

This  was  opposed  in  Sjnod  as  destroying  the  parity 
of  ministers,  and  defended  on  the  ground  that  some  re- 
quired more  than  others  ;  that  the  larger  livings  would 
excite  the  emulation  of  young  ministers  ;  and  that  the 
clergy  would  be  less  dependent  on  the  government. 
The  real  motive  was  the  contrary  however.  The  Sy- 
nod of  1800  tried  to  obtain  an  alteration  of  this  plan, 
but  it  was  finally  accepted  in  1803,  in  a  modified  form, 
by  dividing  the  one  hundred  and  eighty  ministers  into 
three  equal  classes  of  sixty-two  each,  and  giving  them 
respectively  one  hundred,  seventy-five,  and  fifty  pounds 
each.  The  Seceders  did  not  share  in  this,  their  patron, 
the  Marquis  of  Downshire  being  dead,  his  son  out  of  fa- 
vor for  opposing  the  union,  and  his  grandson  under  age. 

Dr.  Black  was  appointed  agent  for  the  distribution 
of  the  Royal  Bounty,  with  a  salary  from  the  govern- 
ment of  £400  a  year.  This  system  of  distribution  was 
very  unpopular  among  the  ministers  of  the  Synod,  and 
Dr.  Black,  who  had  been  active  in  its  arrangement,  be- 
came estranged  from  his  brethren  ;  and  under  the  la- 
bor and  anxiety  of  his  agency,  his  body  and  mind  both 
became  seriouslj^  impaired.  Hitherto  the  state  provi- 
sion had  yielded  the  recipient  only  about  £32  a  year, 
but  under  the  present  rate  of  distribution  it  became 
necessary  to  increase  the  aggregate  amount  to  £8,000 
or  £9,000  per  annum.  This  liberal  increase  has  been 
repaid  by  the  influence  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
favor  of  the  British  connection,  and  of  good  order,  mak- 
ing military  protection  needless  ;  and  not  only  reduc- 
ing the  amount  of  pauperism,  but  helping  to  pay  the 
debts  of  other  provinces. 


1803-1809.]         CLASSIFICATION"  OF   MINISTERS.  859 

The  internal  condition  of  the  Synod  was  less  satis- 
factory. Dr.  Black  himself  was  supposed  to  be  an 
Arian,  and  many  of  the  ministers  were  understood  to 
hold  the  same  views.  The  line  between  Subscribers 
and  Non-Subscribers  was  almost  effaced.  The  Presb}^- 
tery  of  Antrim  voted  in  the  Synod  ;  and  its  licentiates, 
with  those  of  the  Southern  Association,  were,  by  the 
Synod  of  1805,  treated  on  equal  terms  with  those  of 
Ulster.  But  symptoms  of  revival  now  appeared.  The 
Synod  of  1803  recommended  attention  to  family  wor- 
ship, and  orthodox  young  ministers  began  to  multiply, 
among:  whom  were  Samuel  Hanna  of  Belfast,  and 
Booth  Caldwell  of  Sligo.  An  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion had  been  been  formed  in  1798,  for  home  missions 
in  Ulster,  composed  chiefly  of  Seceders,  but  with  some 
from  the  Synod  of  Ulster  and  the  Established  Church. 
It  cooperated  with  the  London  Missionary  Society,  but 
being  declared  in  1799  by  the  Associate  Synods  as  in- 
consistent with  "  Secession  Testimony,"  led  some  Se- 
ceders to  become  Independents. 

This  increase  of  Congregationalism  had  its  influence 
upon  some  of  the  members  of  the  Synod  of  Ulster,  who 
were  induced  to  adopt  Independent  principles.  Among 
these  was  the  Rev.  Alexander  Carson,  who  becoming 
dissatisfied  with  the  Presbyterian  system,  withdrew 
from  the  Synod  in  1805,  and  joined  the  Baptists. 
The  Secession  Church  was  in  a  better  condition ;  and 
in  the  seventeen  years  between  1792  and  1809  they 
had  nearly  doubled  their  number,  having  now  ninety- 
one  ministers  in  Ireland.  The  Associate  ministers  had 
condemned  the  Synod  of  Ulster  for  submitting  to  the 
classification  in  the  distribution  of  the  Royal  Bounty, 
but  in  1809  themselves  received  an  augmentation  on 


360  REVIVAL   OF   ORTHODOXY.  [Ch.  XXVII. 

the  same  terms,  but  of  less  amount.  Those  in  the  first 
class  were  to  receive  only  £70  per  annum  ;  those  in 
the  second,  £50  ;  and  those  in  the  third  £40. 

This  created  a  great  sensation  throughout  the  Seces- 
sion Church  in  Ireland.  Congregational  meetings  were 
called,  resolutions  adopted,  and  the  classification  de- 
nouDced.  The  greatest  opposition  came  from  the 
twenty-four  Anti-Burgher  ministers,  most  of  whom 
were  in  the  lowest  class,  and  it  was  supposed  that 
this  had  some  effect  in  exciting  their  opposition.  But 
at  last  the  Bounty  was  accepted  by  all  but  the  Eev. 
James  Bryce,  of  Killeag,  who  was  suspended  in  1811, 
as  an  agitator,  and  became  the  founder  of  a  small  sect, 
as  he  is  the  father  of  distinguished  teachers  at  Belfast, 
Glasgow  and  Edinburg.  The  Covenanters,  who  re- 
fused all  bounty  from  the  State,  now  profited  by  these 
divisions,  and  from  nine  or  ten  ministers  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  century,  they  had  increased  to  four  Pres- 
byteries, the  eastern,  the  western,  the  northern,  and 
the  southern,  forming  a  Reformed  Presbyterian  Synod. 
This  increase  was  mainly  owing  to  their  faithful  preach- 
ing, which  began  to  be  imitated  in  the  Synod  of  Ul- 
ster. From  the  year  1808  Arian  ministers  were  suc- 
ceeded by  orthodox,  and  Dr.  Cook,  in  his  testimony 
before  the  Commission  of  Education  in  1825,  says  : 
"  I  was  ordained  in  1808  ;  I  believe  I  succeeded  an 
Arian  ;  another  friend  was  ordained  in  1808,  and  he 
succeeded  an  Arian,  or  one  very  near  to  it ;  another 
friend  succeeded,  in  like  manner,  a  very  decided  Arian  ; 
and  another  friend  another  Arian — until  in  one  whole 
district,  which  was  twenty  years  ago  entirely  Arian,  I 
do  not  know  of  one  single  minister  you  could  suspect 
of  Arianism  except  one." 


1809-12.]  BELFAST   INSTITUTION.  861 

Simultaneous,  and  connected  with  this  change,  was 
the  increased  circulation  of  the  Scriptures.    At  the  an- 
nual meeting  of  tlie  General  Synod  in  1807  several 
ministers  were  appointed  to  devise   means  for  supply- 
ing Bibles  on  easy  terms  to  the  humbler  class  of  Pres- 
byterians ;  and  in  1809   the  committee  reported  that 
"their  success  had  exceeded  their  expectations,"  an  1  that 
they  had  received  remittances  for  Bibles  and  Testa- 
ments to  the  amount  of  more  than  a  thousand  pounds  ; 
and  in  1811  they  announced  that  the  formation  of  dif- 
ferent branches  of  the  Hibernian  Bible  Society  in  the 
province  had  in  a  great  degree  superseded  the  ne- 
cessity of  their  labors.     A  case  of  discipline  which  oc- 
curred about  this  time  attracted  much  attention.   In  1809 
the  minister  of  Bailee  had  been  permitted  to  resign  his 
charge,  and  was  soon  after  suspended  for  immoral  prac- 
tices by  the  Presbytery  of  Bangor.     He  appealed  to 
the  Synod,  and  during  the  progress  of  the  case  avowed 
himself  a  Unitarian,  but  was  allowed  to  retain  his  charge 
notwithstanding  a  protest  of  seventeen  ministers  made 
at  the  next  meeting  of  Synod,  on  the  ground  that  the 
doctrine  of  the  Trinity  was  fundamental,  and  that  its 
denial  was  utterly  subversive  of  Christianity.     At  this 
meeting  of  Synod  tlie  first  interest  in  foreign  missions 
was  manifested,  by  a  notice  of  Mr.  Hanna,  of  Belfast, 
that  he  would  apply  to  the  Synod  next  year  to  assist 
the  society  lately  formed  in  London  for  promoting  the 
conversion  of  the  Jews  ;  but  at  the  meeting  of  1812 
this  motion  was  not  called  up,  on  account  of  the  appear- 
ance of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Waugh,  as  a  deputy  from  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society,  asking  to  be   heard  by  the 
Synod.    This  request  was  opposed  by  some  of  the  mem- 
bers, who  openly  denounced  the  idea  of  missions  to  the 

16 


362  BELFAST  ACADEMICAL  INSTITUTE.    [Ch.  XXYH. 

heathen  as  absurd  and  Utopian.  But,  througli  the  in- 
fluence of  Mr.  Hanna,  and  Mr.  Henry,  of  Connor,  Dr. 
Waugh  was  allowed  to  proceed,  and,  "he  had  not 
spoken  half  an  hour,  when  there  was  not  a  dry  eye 
to  be  seen  among  all  his  auditors."  From  that  day,  as 
far  as  the  Synod  was  concerned,  every  pulpit  was 
opened  to  the  deputation  of  the  London  Missionary 
Society. 

The  Synod  of  1806  had  petitioned  the  Duke  of  Bed- 
ford, then  Lord  Lieutenant,  in  behalf  of  education 
for  the  children  of  the  poor,  without  any  practical  re- 
sult ;  but  in  1809  the  Synod  countenanced  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  Belfast  Academical  Institution,  and  in 
1813  recognized  its  certificates  as  equivalent  to  the 
diplomas  of  foreign  universities.  In  1815  the  Eev. 
Samuel  Edgar  of  the  Burgher  Synod  lectured  in  the 
Academical  Institution,  which  was  now  in  the  receipt 
£1,500  a  year  from  the  government. 

The  influence  of  this  institution  was  very  beneficial 
to  the  inhabitants  of  Belfast,  but  throughout  its  exist- 
ence it  struggled  against  great  opposition.  In  1816 
the  government  had  withdrawn  its  bounty,  and  thus 
deprived  of  parliamentary  sanction,  and  not  being  com- 
petent to  confer  academical  honors,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Black, 
one  of  its  most  determined  enemies,  argued  that  it 
would  detract  from  the  respectability  of  the  Irish  Pres- 
byterian Church  were  it  to  recognize  candidates  for 
the  ministry  trained  up  in  such*  an  institution  ;  and 
at  the  meeting  of  Synod  in  1816  he  made  an  effort 
to  induce  the  Synod  to  rescind  the  resolutions  of  the 
previous  3'ear,  but  his  attempt  was  unsuccessful.  The 
Synod  took  measures  for  endowing  a  professorship 
of  Divinity  and  Church  History,  and  adjourned,  to 


1817.]  REV.   JAMES   CARLISLE.  863 

meet  at  Cookstown  in  November  for  the  purpose 
of  electing  a  Professor ;  but  at  the  time  appointed 
it  was  discovered  that  but  little  progress  had  been 
made  in  collecting  funds,  and  that  without  proper 
maintenance  no  man  of  learning  could  be  found  to  oc- 
cupy the  chair. 

At  the  same  time  another  difficulty  arose.  Lord 
Castlereagh,  now  secretary  of  state  for  foreign  affairs, 
objected  to  any  connection  between  the  Synod  and  the 
Institution.  When  reminded  by  deputies  from  the 
Synod  that  according  to  the  arrangements  made  in 
1803,  at  the  time  of  the  augmentation  of  the  Royal 
Bounty,  the  state  was  pledged  not  to  interfere  with  the 
Synod's  discipline,  Castlereagh  asked  if  the  deputies 
regarded  the  question  of  collegiate  education  as  an 
affair  of  discipline ;  and  when  answered  in  the  affirma- 
tive, he  replied  that  he  could  not  accede  to  that  inter- 
pretation. At  the  meeting  of  the  Synod  in  1817  the 
deputation  reported  their  interview  with  Castlereagh, 
and  Dr.  Black,  who  was  understood  to  be  in  his  confi- 
dence, intimated  that  if  the  Synod  continued  its  con- 
nection with  the  Belfast  Academy  the  Regium  Donum 
would  probably  be  withdrawn  from  the  young  men 
educated  there.  It  was  the  prevailing  impression 
throughout  the  House  that  a  blow  was  aimed  at  the 
independence  of  the  Church,  and  that  the  Synod  had 
reached  a  most  important  crisis  in  its  history,  and  yet 
the  older  members  hesitated  to  come  forward  and  re- 
pel the  aggressions. 

At  this  point  the  Rev.  James  Carlisle,  of  Mary's  Ab- 
bey, Dublin,  one  of  the  youngest  ministers,  in  a  speech 
worthy,  it  is  said,  of  the  days  of  Knox  and  Melville, 
justified  the  course  of  the  Synod.     The  bold  address 


364  DR.  BLACK  DROWNED.  [Ch.  XXVII. 

of  the  young  pastor  carried  tlie  S3mod  with,  him,  and 
the  resolution,  that  '^  the  regulations  for  the  education 
of  young  men  intended  for  the  ministry  are  strictly  a 
matter  of  discipline,"  was  carried  by  an  overwhelming 
majority.  The  Synod  immediately  proceeded  to  an 
election  of  a  Professor  of  Divinity  and  Church  Historj^, 
and  the  Kev.  Samuel  Hanna,  of  Belfast,  was  chosen, 
without  any  opposition  from  the  New  Lights,  who 
now  felt  themselves  to  be  in  a  minority.  The  same 
Synod  doubled  the  length  of  the  curriculum,  by 
making  it  two  sessions  of  six  months,  and  the  Irish 
candidates  began  to  study  at  Belfast  instead  of  going 
abroad.  Dr.  Black,  whose  influence  was  visibly  de- 
clining, on  the  4th  of  December,  1817,  in  a  fit  of  in- 
sanity, threw  himself  from  the  bridge  in  Derry  and 
was  drowned. 


CHAPTER      XXVIII. 

1818-1841. 

Yarious  attempts  had  been  made  since  the  begin- 
ning of  the  century  to  unite  the  Burghers  and  Anti- 
Burghers,  but  had  been  defeated  by  the  Anti-Burgher 
Sjmod  in  Scotland.  At  length  the  Anti-Burgher 
Synod  in  Ireland  declared  itself  independent  of  the 
Scottish  Synod,  and  a  basis  of  union  being  agreed  upon, 
united  with  the  Burghers  on  the  9th  of  July,  1818, 
under  the  designation  of  "  The  Presbyterian  Synod  of 
Ireland,  distinguished  hy  the  name  of  Seceders."  The 
Eev,  James  Eentoul  of  Kay  was  chosen  the  first  Mod- 
erator. The  united  Church  numbered  ninety-seven 
ministers. 

They  immediately  entered  upon  the  work  of  Church 
extension,  establishing  preaching  stations  in  towns  and 
villages  where  Presbyterians  were  before  compara- 
tivel}^  unknown,  and  in  1822  settled  the  Eev.  Josias 
Wilson  over  a  new  Church  in  Drogheda. 

The  Ulster  Synod  also  became  active  as  a  mission- 
ary body,  in  conjunction  with  the  Southern  Association, 
now  called  the  Synod  of  Munster.  Among  its  first 
missionary  agents^  were  James  Horner^  Kobert  Stew- 
art, and  Henry  Cooke,  through  whose  efforts  a  Church 
was  established  at  Carlow.  The  Presbyterians  of  this 
place  had  formerly  belonged  to  the  Southern  Synod, 


366  NEW   CODE   OF  DISCIPLINE.         [Ch.  XXVin. 

but  the  Society  becoming  extinct  about  the  year  1750, 
bad  applied,  by  advice  of  the  missionaries,  to  be  taken 
under  the  care  of  the  Synod  of  Ulster.  This  request 
was  granted,  and  this  Church,  the  first  fruits  of  modern 
missionary  zeal  in  Ireland,  obtained  for  its  minister 
James  Morgan,  a  young  man  who  had  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  first  class  of  the  first  theological  professor 
ever  formally  appointed  by  the  Synod  of  Ulster ;  on 
the  21st  of  June,  1820,  he  was  ordained  and  installed  the 
pastor.  The  Synod  of  Munster  passed  a  vote  of  thanks 
to  these  missionaries  for  their  services,  and  sent  a  letter 
to  the  Sj-nod  of  Ulster  expressing  their  readiness  to 
assist  them  in  extending  Presbyterianism  in  the  south. 
These  bodies,  with  the  Presbytery  of  Antrim,  had 
been  drawing  nearer  to  each  other  since  the  accession 
of  George  III.,  in  1760.  When  George  IV.  visited 
Ireland  in  1821,  they  waited  upon  him  in  a  body,  led 
by  the  three  moderators,  and  the  King  appeared  to  be 
greatly  gratified  by  this  manifestation  of  loyalty  on 
the  part  of  his  Irish  Presbyterian  subjects. 

In  the  meantime  the  Synod  of  Ulster  was  constantly 
becoming  more  evangelical,  and  its  connection  with  the 
other  bodies  was  terminated  by  its  code  of  discipline, 
proposed  in  1808  by  Horner,  prepared  by  him  and 
two  others,  to  whom  Cooke  was  added  in  1819,  and, 
after  various  revisions,  finally  adopted  in  1824.  This 
code  ignored  the  anomalous  position  which  the  Mun- 
ster Synod  and  JSTew  Lights  had  long  occupied,  and 
required  Presbyteries  to  ascertain  the  soundness  of 
their  candidates,  either  by  examination  or  by  subscrip- 
tion to  the  Westminster  Confession,  which  had  been 
disused  for  half  a  century,  (though  not  entirely,)  ex- 
cept in  the  five  Presbyteries  of  Belfast,  Dromore,  Dub- 


1827.]  UNITARIANISM.  SG'i 

lin,  Route,  and  Tyrone.  This  requisition  was  hailed 
by  the  Arians  as  a  formal  abrogation  of  Subscrip- 
tion !  But  in  1821  Henry  Cooke,  who  had  removed 
three  years  before  from  Donegore  to  Killileagh,  in  the 
Presbytery  of  Dromore,  aided  by  his  elder,  Captain 
Sydney  Hamilton  Eowan,  son  of  the  famous  Archi- 
bald Hamilton  Rowan,  came  forward  as  the  public  op- 
ponent of  UnitarianisQi,  following  Smithurst,  an  emis- 
sary of  the  English  Unitarian  Fund  Association,  from 
place  to  place,  and  refuting  him. 

In  the  S3'nod  of  1822  Cooke  denounced  the  appoint- 
ment of  Mr.  Bruce,  an  accomplished  scholar  but  a  Uni- 
tarian, as  Professor  of  Greek  in  the  Belfast  Institution. 
Soon  after,  the  professor's  father  Dr.  Bruce,  of  Belfast, 
published  a  volume  of  sermons,  described  by  one  of 
his  own  party  as  the  first  printed  avowal  and  defence 
of  Unitarians  in  Ireland  since  the  days  of  Embyn,  in 
1702.  His  statement  in  the  preface,  that  his  principles 
were  silently  spreading  in  the  Synod,  was  publicly 
contradicted  in  that  body  in  1824.  These  sermons  called 
forth  a  powerful  "Refutation  of  Arianism,"  by  the  Rev. 
John  Paul,  a  Covenanting  minister  at  Carrickfergus. 

In  the  meantime  Mr.  Cooke  was  chosen  moderator 
of  the  Synod  of  Ulster,  and  while  in  that  office  was 
called  upon  by  the  Irish  Education  Commission  to  tes- 
tify in  reference  to  the  Irish  Presbyterian  Church.  He 
stated  that  of  two  hundred  ministers  connected  with 
it,  about  thirty-five  were  Arians.  The  clerk,  the  Rev. 
AVilliam  Porter,  was  also  examined,  and  owned  him- 
self an  Arian,  and  said  that  it  was  growing  among  the 
"  thinking  few,"  and  that  there  were  "  more  real  Arians 
than  professed  ones."  The  report  of  the  commissioners 
was  printed  early   in  1827,  and  this  evidence  caused 


868  OVERTURES  OF   1828.  [Ch.  xxyiit. 

great  excitement.  In  the  Synovl  of  that  j^ear,  held  at 
Strabane,  the  Rev.  Robert  Magill,  of  Antrim,  moved  to 
displace  Porter  as  clerk,  but  it  was  not  carried,  though 
his  evidence  was  censured.  Mr.  Cooke  then  moved  a 
declaration  of  belief  in  the  words  of  the  Shorter  Cate- 
chism concerning  the  Trinity,  which  led  to  the  most 
exciting  debate  which  had  occurred  for  a  century. 
Among  others  the  Rev.  Henry  Montgomery,  of  Dun- 
murry,  made  a  most  eloquent  speech  against  the  mo- 
tion ;  but  after  two  days  discussion  it  was  carried  by 
a  vote  of  one  hundred  and  seventeen  ministers  and 
eighteen  elders,  against  two  ministers,  and  eight  who 
declined  voting.  After  the  adjournment  of  the  Sy- 
nod, Mr.  Paul  reappeared  in  a  review  of  Mont- 
gomery's speech,  and  a  defence  of  creeds  and  confes- 
sions. 

The  Synod  of  1828  met  at  Cookstown  on  the  28th 
of  June,  and  was  the  most  numerous  ever  known,  and 
Cooke  moved  a  series  of  overtures,  requiring  candi- 
dates to  be  examined  both  at  the  beginning  and  at  the 
end  of  their  course,  by  a  committee  of  Synod,  as  to  per- 
sonal religion  and  soundness  in  the  faith,  especially  in 
reference  to  the  Trinity,  Original  Sin,  Justification  by 
Faith,  and  Regeneration  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  After  a 
debate  of  two  days  they  were  carried  by  a  vote  of 
ninety-nine  ministers  and  forty  elders,  r gainst  forty 
ministers  and  seventeen  elders,  the  minority  includ- 
ing many  Trinitarians  who  thought  less  stringent 
measures  sufficient  for  the  reformation  of  the  Church. 
But  Cooke,  now  the  leader  of  the  Old  Lights,  was  sus- 
tained by  an  immense  majority  of  the  laity,  and  ably 
seconded  in  Synod  by  the  Rev.  Robert  Stewart, 
of  Broughshane,    recently   distinguished   by  his   tri- 


1829.]  JOHN   FERRIE   ELECTED    PROFESSOR.  369 

umpli  over  a  Romish  priest  in  oral  discussion  at  Bal- 
Ijmena.  By  the  passage  of  these  overtures,  Arians 
were  effectually  excluded  from  the  ministry  of  the 
Synod  of  Ulster,  and  the  Synodical  committee  now 
appointed  was  entirely  composed  of  Trinitarians,  the 
Arians  on  the  16th  of  October  adopted  a  Remonstrance 
setting  forth  their  grievances,  and  threatening  to  with- 
draw unless  they  were  redressed. 

A  few  days  before  the  meetings  of  the  Synod  of  1829 
an  election  took  place  for  a  Professor  of  Moral  Philoso- 
phy in  the  Belfast  Institution  in  the  place  of  the  Rev. 
John  Young,  who  had  died  the  preceding  March.  The 
moderator  of  the  Synod,  who  was  one  of  the  electors, 
nominated  the  Rev.  James  Carlisle,  of  Mary's  Abbey, 
Dublin,  as  the  candidate  of  the  Synod,  but  to  the  surprise 
of  the  community  Mr.  John  Ferrie,  a  licentiate  of  the 
Church  of  Scotland,  was  elected.  The  defeat  of  Car- 
lisle was  supposed  to  be  the  result  of  an  able  defence 
of  the  divinity  of  Christ,  which  he  had  recently  jDub- 
lished.  At  the  meeting  of  the  Synod  at  Lurgan  on  the 
80th  of  June,  the  subject  of  the  election  was  brought 
under  discussion,  and  a  warm  debate  occurred  between 
Cooke  and  Montgomery,  which  lasted  several  hours, 
and  resulted  in  the  triumph  of  the  former. 

On  account  of  the  time  absorbed  in  this  discussion 
the  Synod  was  unable  to  touch  the  subject  of  the  over- 
tures passed  at  the  previous  session,  and  a  special  meet- 
ing was  apppointed,  to  be  held  at  Cookstown  in  the 
following  August.  This  meeting  was  not  attended  by 
the  New  Lights  (by  arrangement),  except  Porter,  who 
presented  an  address  and  their  Remonstrance,  signed 
by  eighteen  ministers,  fifteen  licentiates  and  students, 
one  hundred  and  ninety-seven  elders,   one  hundred 


370        REMONSTRANT  SYNOD   OF    ULSTER.     [Ca  XXVIIl. 


4 


and  tbirtj-eiglit  committee-men,  and  three  hundred 
and  fourteen  seatholders,  a  smaller  number  than  are 
found  in  some  single  congregations.  The  overtures 
were  debated  for  several  sessions,  and  the  committee 
for  the  examination  of  candidates  was  reappointed  by 
a  vote  of  seventj-four  ministers  and  all  the  elders,  to 
three  ministers,  and  three  not  voting.  Some  of  the 
orthodox  objected  to  it  as  interfering  with  the  rights 
of  Presbyteries. 

In  the  address  presented  by  Mr.  Porter  the  Unitarians 
had  requested  that  in  the  event  of  the  confirmation  of 
the  overtures  a  committee  should  be  appointed  for  the 
purpose  of  arranging  "  a  friendly  and  Christian  sepa- 
ration." This  was  agreed  to  by  the  Synod,  and  on  the 
9th  of  September  an  amicable  separation  was  arranged, 
the  remonstrants  retaining  their  share  in  the  Kegium 
Donum  and  the  Widows'  Fund :  and  more  recently 
the  Dissenters'  Chapels  Act  has  secured  them  in  the 
possession  of  their  houses  of  worship.  On  the  25th  of 
May  they  assembled  in  Belfast  and  organized  the 
"  Eemonstrant  Synod  of  Ulster."  In  1853  it  had 
under  its  care  twenty-seven  or  twenty-eight  congrega- 
tions, and  making,  with  the  Presbytery  of  Antrim  and 
the  Synod  of  Munster,  forty-two  churches  and  about 
fifty  ministers,  with  a  population  of  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  thousand. 

This  triumph  of  Orthodoxy  was  in  great  part  owing 
to  the  constant  use  of  the  Westminster  Shorter  Cate- 
chism among  the  people,  even  in  the  worst  of  times, 
so  that  at  least  a  quarter  of  a  century  before  the  Arian 
controversy  it  was  hard  for  a  New  Light  to  obtain  a 
settlement.  Had  the  Arian s  continued  in  the  Synod, 
they  would  probably  have  soon  died  out  without  ex- 


1830-40.]  INCKEASE  OF  THE   CHURCH.  371 

cision,  and  tlie  narrative  of  their  overthrow  and  sep- 
aration supplies  a  striking  proof  of  the  conservative 
energy  of  Presbyterian  government.  A  doctrinal  re-- 
formation,  so  rapid  and  so  complete,  has  never  yet  been 
effected  in  any  Church,  either  Independent  or  Pre- 
latic. 

Late  in  1829  Cooke,  whose  popularity  was  now  un- 
bounded, was  removed  to  a  new  Church  in  Belfast. 
The  Synod  of  1830,  which  met  at  Omagh,  was  per- 
fectly quiet,  and  appointed  the  Eev.  James  Seaton 
Eeid  (the  historian)  their  clerk,  in  the  place  of  Porter. 
Mr.  Keid  had  been  moderator  in  1827,  and  was  made 
Professor  of  Ecclesiastical  History  at  Belfast,  in  1838, 
and  in  18^1,  Eegius  Professor  of  Ecclesiastical  and 
Civil  History  at  Glasgow.  One  effect  of  the  change 
which  had  now  taken  place  in  the  Synod  was  the  im- 
provement of  church  buildings  throughout  Ulster.  It 
appears  that  from  1827  to  1837,  one  hundred  and  sev- 
enty congregations  had  expended  £107,000  for  this 
purpose.  In  a  year  from  the  Synod  of  1828  eleven 
new  churches  were  organized  ;  and  in  ten  years  between 
1829  and  1839,  more  were  added  than  in  the  previous 
century.  Another  effect  was  the  improvement  in  theo- 
losfical  education.  In  1835  Samuel  Davidson  became 
Professor  of  Biblical  Criticism,  and  in  1837  J.  S.  Keid 
was  appointed  to  lecture  on  Ecclesiastical  History  and 
Pastoral  Theology  ;  and  in  1840  another  session  was 
added  to  the  course.  Another  effect  was  the  increase 
of  missionary  zeal.  The  Ulster  Home  Missionary  So- 
ciety, which  was  founded  in  1826,  became  extinct  in 
1829  ;  but  at  the  Synod  of  1830  the  Presbyterian  Mis- 
sionary Society  was  founded,  for  the  purpose  of  reviv- 
ing and  extending  vital  religion  among  Presbyterians 


372  NATIONAL   EDUCATION.  [Oh.  XXYIII. 

in  Ireland.  In  1883  the  Synod  instructed  the  Dublin 
Presbj^tery  to  j^rppare  a  sclieme  of  foreign  missions  ; 
,  and  no  one  bad  a  greater  share  in  fostering  this  mis- 
sionary spirit  than  the  Eev.  James  Morgan,  of  Belfast, 
who,  in  1828,  organized  a  new  church  in  that  city,  and 
in  1852  the  contributions  of  this  one  church  for  the 
support  of  the  Gospel  were  more  than  treble  the  amount 
bestowed  by  Charles  II.  on  the  Presbyterians  of  Ire- 
land. 

From  1831  to  1840  the  Church  v/as  agitated  by  the 
national  education  question,  but  in  that  year  the  Synod 
accepted  the  modified  sj^stem  of  the  government.  In  the 
meantime  steps  w^ere  taken  to  consolidate  the  strength 
of  the  Irish  Presbyterians.  In  1829  the  Eev.  John  Brown, 
of  Aghadoej^,  proposed  to  require  Subscription  from  all 
candidates  for  licence  or  ordination  ;  and  in  1832  the 
Synod  adopted  an  overture  prescribing  a  formula  of 
Subscription,  but  making  no  provision  for  the  scruples 
of  some  in  regard  to  certain  points,  and  it  soon  became 
necessary,  for  the  peace  of  the  Church,  to  return  to  the 
original  practice  of  absolute  Subscription.  In  1835  a 
motion  to  this  effect  was  carried,  by  a  vote  of  ninety - 
four  ministers  and  thirty-one  elders,  against  twenty 
ministers  and  eight  elders.  This  measure  was  quickly 
followed  by  a  renewal  of  communion  with  the  Church 
of  Scotland,  which  had  been  interrupted  by  the  act 
of  1799;  and  the  retaliatory  act  of  1808,  excluding 
Scottish  ministers  and  licentiates  from  the  Irish  pul- 
pits, although  this  act  was  modified  the  next  year  so 
as  merely  to  exclude  them  from  vacancies  and  settle- 
ments. 

After  the  overture  of  1835  in  favor  of  unqualified 
Subscrijjtion,   the   General    Assemblj^,    in   which    the 


1840.]      UNION   OF  THE    ULSTER  SESSION  SYNODS.      373 

Evangelicals  had  lately  gained  the  upper  hand, 
unnnimouslj  agreed  to  receive  the  Irish  ministers  to 
fellowship,  and  a  cordial  intercourse  began  which 
lasted  till  tlie  disruption,  in  1843.  In  1838  the  gov- 
erment  agreed  to  equalize  the  Kegium  Donura,  pay- 
ing £75  per  annum  to  every  minister,  both  of  the 
Ulster  and  Secession  Synods.  This,  with  the  previous 
purgation  of  the  Ulster  Synod,  opened  the  way  for  a 
reunion,  which  was  first  proposed  in  1839,  by  the  stu- 
dents of  the  two  Churches  studying  together  at  Bel- 
fast, under  Dr.  Edgar  of  the  Secession  Church.  Af- 
ter various  preliminary  movements,  the  two  bodies 
were  united  at  Belfast,  on  the  10th  day  of  July,  1840, 
as  the  "Greneral  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
in  Ireland,"  each  Synod  retaining  its  own  organization 
for  financial  purposes,  in  execution  of  the  trusts  com- 
mitted to  it.  This  first  Assembly  was  attended  by  a 
deputation  from  the  Church  of  Scotland,  consisting  of 
the  Rev.  Patrick  Macfarlane,  the  Rev.  James  Begg,  the 
Rev.  Robert  M.  M'Cheyne,  and  Ddvid  Maitland  Mak- 
gill  Crichton,  Esq.  Two  missionaries,  the  Rev.  James 
Glasgow  and  the  Rev.  Alexander  Ken-,  were  at  the 
same  time  set  apart  for  the  work  in  India.  Tlie  num- 
ber of  Seceding  congregations  added  were  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-one,  making  in  all  three  hundred  and 
thirty-three. 

The  union  gave  new  life  to  Presbyterianism  in  Ire- 
land, and  increased  the  political  importance  of  the 
body.  In  the  great  struggles  of  the  Scotch  Church  in 
1843,  it  warmly  espoused  the  cause  of  non-intrusion. 
About  the  same  time,  its  marrkges  between  Episcopa- 
lians and  Presbyterians  having  been  pronounced  ille- 
gal by  the  English  judges,  it  obtained  an  Act  of  Par- 


874  PROSPERITY   OF  THE   CHURCH.         [Ch.  XXYIH. 

liament  (1844)  warranting  sucli  unions,  though  the 
Established  Church  is  still  the  only  one  that  can 
marry  parties  without  reference  to  their  denomina- 
tion, which  has  tended  to  make  the  Episcopalians 
seem  more  numerous.  The  true  proportion  in  1853 
was  that  of  three  to  two  in  favor  of  the  Presbyterians. 
Although  few  of  the  Irish  aristocracy  have  ever  been 
Presbj'terians,  many  have  joined  this  Church  from  the 
Establishment  as  well  as  other  sects,  and  it  has  sus- 
tained no  sensible  loss  by  secession.  It  is  more  free 
from  pauperism  than  either  of  the  other  great  denom- 
inations. In  various  parts  of  Ulster  the  old  gentry  of 
the  country  have  disappeared,  and  Presbyterians  en- 
riched by  trade  have  taken  their  places.  And  besides 
its  prosperity  at  home,  the  Church  is  represented  in 
America  by  descendants  of  its  former  members,  three 
times  more  numerous  than  all  the  Presbyterians  now 
in  Ireland.  Since  1846  there  has  been  an  angry 
controversv  in  the  Church  itself  as  to  the  location 
of  a  college,  which  has  resulted  in  the  institution  of 
two — one  at  Derry,  for  general  as  well  as  theological 
instruction,  founded  on  a  princely  testamentary  endow- 
ment ;  and  the  other  at  Belfast,  for  theology  alone,  the 
other  branches  of  instruction  being  furnished  by  the 
new  Queen's  College  at  that  place,  and  the  govern- 
ment supporting  both  the  faculties. 

But  even  while  these  controversies  were  in  progress 
their  unfortunate  efforts  were  in  a  great  measure  neu- 
tralized and  counteracted  by  the  spiritual  and  organic 
growth  of  the  whole  body,  as  evinced  by  its  devotion 
to  the  work  of  missions,  its  agressive  movements  in 
all  suitable  directions,  and  the  systematic  organization 
of  these  movements  on  a  somewhat  novel  and  peculiar 


1854]  THE   LAST  SIX   YEARS.  375 

plan,  but  one  which  seems  to  be  fully  justified  by  its 
results.  A  Board,  elected  by  the  Presbyteries,  has  a 
general  supervision  of  the  schemes  or  enterprises  of 
the  Church;  but  over  each  field  of  operation  is  a  single 
minister,  who  makes  that  field  his  province  and  his 
study,  and  is  looked  to  for  information  and  for  counsel 
with  respect  to  its  officers. 

The  last  six  years  have  been  years  of  undisturbed 
peace  and  of  steady  growth,  distinguished  by  the  en- 
ergetic working  of  the  old  schemes,  and  the  starting  of 
some  new  ones,  such  as  that  for  building  manses,  and 
another  for  increasing  the  salaries  of  ill-paid  ministers, 
increased  attention  to  the  state  of  practical  religion, 
the  observance  of  the  Sabbath,  the  reformation  of  man- 
ners, and  the  education  of  the  people.  With  a  par- 
donable pride,  if  we  may  use  the  term  in  this  connec- 
tion, the  historian  looks  back,  through  the  vista  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty  years,  to  the  time  of  the  plan- 
tation and  the  military  organization,  and  contrasts 
those  weak  beginnings,  not  only  with  the  intervening 
lapses  and  recoveries,  but  with  the  present  spectacle 
of  one  united  Presbyterian  body,  made  up  of  five 
Synods,  six  and  thirty  Presbyteries,  and  above  five 
hundred  churches,  with  an  average  income  of  one 
hundred  and  seventeen  pounds  to  every  minister,  be- 
sides its  representatives  in  many  a  home  and  foreign 
field  of  labor.  ''  Never  at  any  period  of  the  past  has 
the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Ireland  been  more  united 
in  doctrine,  more  efficient  in  her  ministrations,  or  more 
prosperous,  socially  and  spiritually,  than  at  present; 
ready  to  enter  on,  and,  with  God's  blessing,  to  carry 
to  a  successful  issue  any  great  and  good  work  that  lies 


376  THE   REVIVAL.  [Cu.  XXVIII. 

fairly  in  her  way.     And  even  yet  she  scarcely  knows  her 
own  strength y 

A  striking  comment  on  these  words  is  afforded  by 
the  great  awakening  which  has  taken  place  since 
they  were  written,  and  in  which  the  voice  of  God 
still  says  to  his  people  in  that  suffering  yet  highl}^ 
favored  island,   "  The  joy  OF  THE  Lord  is  your 

STRENGTH." 


THE      END. 


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